


Atelier: The Last Sorceress

by Lhyric



Category: EXO (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-15 17:04:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 38,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13617783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lhyric/pseuds/Lhyric
Summary: Eons ago, Titans Arun and Shara fled their war-torn realm and fell asleep, dreaming Tierra Gloriosa into existence, birthing the two worlds, Exotreia and Terra. For centuries, both worlds fluorished under the rule of the Queen - a sorceress - who maintained peace and balance, and kept Chaos at bay.Sorceress Athena had a duty, but she ran away, and in her absence, Exotreia fell into the grasp of darkness and shadows. The Empyrean Guardians fought a losing battle, and in their final attempt to halt the destruction, they fell into crystal sleep; waiting, for the day the sorceress is to return.200 some years later, Terra-born Atelier Rosche learns that she is meant for something far greater than anyone from her world can even begin to comprehend. She will be the one to end it all, to reclaim lost peace. She is the 49th sorceress, and she will be the last.CAST:Jeon Jungkook - HimselfKim Seokjin - Lucem HanedirPark Chanyeol - Chanjyushir L'TaeranOh Sehun - Sephyrus HunathgrolPark Jimin - Caius TaoZhang Yi Xing - Paddra Ssal LayDo Kyungsoo - Kyungrig SooreiKim Jongin - Mah'habara Qun KaiKim Minseok - XiuminKim Taehyung - Kreiss Noel





	1. 1 | One

****

**Part One: She Who Hails From Terra**

_"Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker?"  
\- Garth Nix -_

**\---**

**Author's Note:  **Just a little heads-up that the first three chapters are loooong (like 4k+) because I was used to writing long chapters. From Chapter 4 onwards they come in more... "bite-sized" pieces for easier reading. c: Hope you enjoy! 

\---

It takes more than handmade paper stars to make a wish come true. Atelier knows that. She heaves a sigh and drops her final star into the jar. It is golden and glitters slightly; perfect for Lucy, because the little girl wants to be a princess. Atelier smiles and gives the jar a little shake.

Six paper stars, each one representing a member of her family. Each one representing a wish she makes for them. Maybe it's silly, but it's not silly to have hope, is it? Even if they do live in Morheim. After all, Mother's hope – and a whole lot of luck – was what got Atelier into school in the first place.

She can still remember the day they fished her name out of the giant glass bowl, announcing her as the next lucky child to receive full scholarship to the Jeron Vidar Academy. Though it came as a major shock that she, a Morheim girl of all people, was picked, and the Elites couldn't be more displeased at that, the government ultimately didn't deny her passage into the school. Mother couldn't be more elated.

That was six years ago. Now, Atelier is coming to the end of her final year, about to graduate with a high school diploma from the most prestigious academy in the country. She is probably the first in Morheim to ever complete her education, which is rather nice, but she isn't sure what that will bring her. It's not like Morheim needs anyone with qualifications. No – Atelier wants to start her new life in the crown city.

But does Pandemonium want her?

"Big sister?"

The little voice startles her and she nearly drops the jar. Atelier turns to the girl sitting on the bed by the wall. "Hey, teeny. Am I keeping you up?"

"No..." Lucy shakes her head, rubs her eyes, and makes her way to the desk where Atelier is sitting. She lays her eyes upon the paper stars. "What are you doing?"

Atelier picks her up and sits her on her lap. "Nothing much, just making wishes."

"These are your wishes?"

"Well, yes. I made six. One for myself, then one for mama. Kenton gets one too. So does Jason and Melanie. You see this sparkly one? That one's yours."

"Wow, it's pretty," Lucy says with bright eyes. "What did you wish for?"

Atelier flashes a mischievous grin. "It's a secret. You're not supposed to say your wish out loud or they won't come true."

The little girl's face almost immediately deflates. "Is that why I can't be a princess?"

Atelier plants a kiss on the top of her sister's head. "You are a princess to me."

"You're a princess too, big sister!" Lucy exclaims, a bit too loudly. Thankfully, her other siblings remain asleep.

"Why, thank you, your highness." Atelier smiles, tapping Lucy's nose, earning a small giggle from the kid. "Shall we go to bed now then?"

Lucy yawns. "Yes..."

Atelier tucks her sister in before returning to her desk. Her arm reaches for the light switch, but she stops and picks up the jar of stars. The colours shine back at her amidst the light from the table lamp. With a deep breath and a smile, she sets it down on the windowsill.

It takes more than handmade paper stars to make a wish come true. Atelier knows that. But it's her 18th birthday tomorrow.

Maybe the Heavens will smile on her again.

**\---**

Sleep was fitful that night. Atelier has dreams often, and they're not very nice. There's always smoke. Fire. The smell of blood. Her eyes will sting with tears and she will hear a scream, recognizing it as her own. Her heart will skip a beat, and then she is back on her bed.

Recurring dreams usually mean something, but she doesn't know what to make of hers.

Atelier lays still, listening to the sound of her breaths. Outside her home, she can hear her neighbours starting their day, already beginning work. Today is Monday, which means she has school. She contemplates skipping it. After all, it's study week, the week before their final exams, and classes aren't really in session anymore. She wonders if she would get in trouble for that, but decides not to tempt fate.

Groaning, she peels the blanket off her body and sits up. Her siblings won't have to be up until much later, so as usual, she begins her morning routine without making much noise. She washes her face, takes a quick shower and slips into her uniform; black and red, a non-Elite. She combs her hair and smiles at the mirror. Then she heads downstairs.

Mother is already up, of course. She prepares breakfast for the family before leaving to work, not that there's much food to prepare, though. Atelier looks at the spread of stale bread, jam and cheese, and picks up an apple instead. She can always grab something at the cafeteria later, but her family isn't so lucky.

She greets Mother and gives her a quick peck on the cheek, waking her up from her little doze at the dining table. "Morning, mama. See you later."

"Oh, dear. Already?" Mother asks, same as she does every day. Atelier nods, taking a bite of her apple before putting on her shoes. Usually, she would be out the door in ten seconds, and that would be that. But today, she drops the apple and it rolls away before she could catch it.

"Last week of classes, isn't it, Atelier?"

For some reasons, it takes her by surprise. She never discusses school with her family. It just... never became a thing, and that is fine by her.

"Yes," she answers.

"Time sure flies," Mother mumbles, then lets out a small chuckle. "Well, do enjoy the most out of it, dear."

"I will!" Atelier chirps, waving and letting herself out the door. She decides not to go after the apple. As soon as she is out of sight, her smile fades.  _Enjoy, huh?_  She sighs.  _If only_.

The walk to the train station is not as exciting as it is long. She knows the route by heart and reckons she can find her way through with her eyes closed, which helps, because half the time, her mind drifts off elsewhere and she is on autopilot. Occasionally, she'd run into people, but they don't greet each other. The people of Morheim don't share pleasantries. Everyone has their own worries and troubles, it's best to stay out of the way and mind one's own business. The government has done that very well, especially.

Despite the poverty and hardships, Atelier likes Morheim. It is her home, after all, and she has grown to love the musty air, the overgrown plants, and the decrepit and dilapidated buildings. It has its own charms, or maybe she's just comforting herself.

Her thoughts come to a halt as she reaches the station, whose sophisticated architecture has remained pristine over the years and stands out like a sore thumb in the district. Hardly anyone peruses the facility. It may be out of grudge, yes, but mostly, people just don't have a reason to travel to the city. Nor do they have permission.

It is quite sad that Ishalgen segments and isolates its own districts, but it isn't up to Atelier to question the government.

The train takes off at 6.30 am sharp, and she boards with time to spare. Being the only one on the entire train is quite a treat, honestly. The air-conditioned space is wonderful and clean and comfortable. She knew from the very first time she took the trip to the city, that this was only a sample of what life in Pandemonium has to offer. Someday, she wishes to be able to take her family with her. Hopefully on a one-way trip.

Atelier takes her usual seat and prepares for the journey by humming herself to sleep. 93 minutes breeze past in a blur, and she awakes to the announcer's message that they are approaching Pandemonium.

The city is as different from Morheim as it possibly can be. There are scarcely any trees, for one, and what little greenery left untouched – or artificially planted – is obstructed from view by towering skyscrapers. Not a single building looking more than ten years of age. Instead of carriages and trishaws, Atelier is looking at sleek, hovering cars as they zoom across and over at sonic speed.

The station is crowded, to say the least, as there are travelers to and from the sister states, Kanstria and Crescentia. But it isn't the only place congested with human traffic; there are people  _everywhere_  – talking, driving, walking, and checking their electronic devices. Atelier struggles through the crowd and makes her way to the tram stop. She sees another student of the academy. Black and red uniform, same as her. Their eyes meet and she smiles.

_No, not same as her_. The girl looks away quickly, not bothering to return the pleasantry. Of course, there is only a handful of non-Elites in the academy. Everyone knows each other, or rather, everyone knows Atelier. The girl from Morheim. The Untouchable of the untouchables. She hides her dejection and boards the tram silently.

**\---**

The Jeron Vidar Academy, unlike the other buildings in the city, boasts exaggerated gothic, Victorian architecture. It is enclosed behind wrought iron gates and tall brick fences; either serving to prevent intruders from entering, or students from escaping. In the middle of the courtyard sits a majestic stone statue of Ishalgen's first Primarch since its reform after the war, who also founded the academy. Strangely, his name wasn't Jeron Vidar. Nobody knows who this Jeron Vidar is.

Like any other school day, Atelier shies away from the others, hoping to blend into the background – the wall, the lockers, the trees. Anything. She doesn't want to be noticed, but when one is wearing black in a sea of red, the non-Elites are quite often seen. And being seen is not necessarily a good thing. To Atelier, being seen means being ridiculed, and she is sick of it.

_Just one more week_ , she thinks to herself as she passes by a couple of sniggering students. Five more days, and then she is free. Well, sort of.

Atelier waits on the sides until most of the crowd has dispersed from the hallway where her locker is, before she skitters over to grab her things. A nasty surprise is waiting for her discovery.

_Morheim Roach!!!_

Written in big, bold red ink – smeared all over her locker door. She would be lying if she says it doesn't shake her. She gulps, looking around half expecting the villains to be watching from the corners, expectant to see her reaction. Except, Atelier is used to this already. This is hardly the first time.

Still, it stings.

She must have stood there for a long time, because the next thing she knows, the janitor suddenly appears behind her, grunting when he sees the mess. He makes no comment. After all, he has seen it happen a lot. He never interferes, never helps her clean it up.

Instead, he hands her a wet cloth. "Here," he says curtly.

"Thank –" He leaves before she can even finish her sentence.

Atelier sighs, then proceeds to scrub furiously at the ink. She is going to be late for homeroom if she doesn't hurry.

She can hear the click-clacking of boots coming from around the corner. For some reasons, she suddenly has the urge to run. "Oh, it  _is_  you," said a female voice that is all too familiar to her, and not in a good way. Not at all.

In spite of herself, Atelier turns her head to the girl standing a few feet away from her. Red uniform, gold accents. Porcelain skin, sharp eyes, elegant nose, cherry lips. Long, bouncy brown waves tumble past her shoulders, and in contrast, makes Atelier's own hair look like a limp mop of mess. Unfortunately, even Atelier has to admit that Lee Soo Young is beautiful, and it isn't fair, because Lee Soo Young is the meanest, most vicious person she knows.

Maybe it is because she  _is_  the Primarch's daughter and shares his disdain for non-Elites, especially Morheimers in particular, but there has never been a day where Soo Young doesn't make school life a living hell for Atelier. As royalty and Queen Bee of the academy, what Soo Young does, the others follow.

"I was wondering what that terrible smell was. Turns out it's you," she mocks, pinching her nose as if to prove her point. "Go figure."

Atelier ignores her, or at least, tries to. She turns back to her locker and continues cleaning. She takes a deep breath and counts from ten.  _Ten, nine, eight._

"Feels bad, huh? School will be over soon, and you'll have to go back to your sad little life in that shit hole you call home. All these years wastefully using  _our_  resources – all for naught! You must feel sorry for yourself."  _Seven, six, five, four –_  "I mean, you didn't think you can change your fate with just a high school diploma given to you out of pity... did you?"

Atelier glares at her, but it looks more hurtful than angry. Soo Young feigns surprise and puts a hand to her mouth.

"You did?" she gasped, then laughed. "You actually  _think_ you can stay in Pandemonium forever. How naive!" She cocks her head and smirks. "Listen, you don't belong here. No matter how hard you try, you will never make it. You will never be accepted as one of us. You will always be a Morheimer, Atelier  _Roach_."

Atelier clenches her fists. She wants to knock Soo Young onto the floor and grab her head and scream into her face –  _it's Atelier_ Rosche! But she can't do anything.

She never can do anything.

**\---**

The second floor washroom in the old wing of the academy is Atelier's safe space.

It is quiet, clean. Hardly anyone uses it anymore since the official launch of the new wing, after most classes relocate over there. Which means no one can bother her when she's sitting in one of the stalls. She frequents this washroom every time she is upset and things aren't going well. In other words, it is a place for her to hide in and bawl her eyes out over self-pity.

After her encounter with Soo Young, Atelier didn't feel like going to class anymore. It doesn't matter anyway; they won't miss her. She wanted – pretty much  _needed_  – to cry, so to the washrooms it was. The moment she sat on the porcelain seat she burst into tears and wouldn't stop.

That was 30 minutes ago. Now, she doesn't know how she can face anyone with her red eyes and blotchy face.

Sniffling, she makes her way to the sinks and splashes cold water onto her face. She dampens her hair a little and rake her fingers through to sort tangles. She sighs when she sees her reflection in the mirror. Pathetic. She really has no place in the city. But after struggling for five years, she just has to hope. She takes a deep breath again and squares her shoulders, but they sag down almost immediately.

Oh, who is she kidding?

Sighing in defeat, she heads out the door.

There are times when Atelier is glad she keeps her eyes on the ground, because it means she won't have to look at the nasty faces people pulls at her, but there are also times when she  _really_  wishes she paid more attention to where she is going. Like now, as she knocks into a tall figure and drops her backpack. The zip isn't pulled, and her belongings spill across the floor. She curses herself for not keeping it in her locker.

"Sorry," she mutters, not daring to look up in case she is in for a scolding or another round of insults. She doesn't think she is at fault though, because clearly, whoever this person in has been standing directly outside the washroom door for whatever reason. But she isn't about to pick a fight, so she bends down to pick up her stuff and prays that the person will walk away and leave her alone.

But he doesn't. Instead, he scoops up her things before she can, and holds them out to her. "Don't worry. It's really not your fault. I should be the one to say sorry. Sorry."

The familiarity of the voice stuns her and she glances up so quickly it's a miracle she doesn't snap her neck. That voice! She'd recognize it anywhere. She wonders if it would be better if she gets it wrong this time, because she looks a mess, but fate works in wondrous – if slightly horrible – ways, and true enough, she finds herself looking right at Jeon Jungkook.

They met on the first day of school. She can still remember the moment she first laid eyes on him as he approached her and asked her if it would be lunch time soon because he was hungry. He was smiley, and nice, and he was the first person to speak to her that day. It made her feel like a person again, but she knew from his stunning red and gold uniform that he and she don't exactly belong in the same league.

"Where are you from?" she remembered him asking, and her blood running cold.

"Morheim," she answered, plainly. There was no point in lying when more than half the school already knew who she was. The "lucky" Morheim girl who won the Jeron Vidar lottery.  _Lucky?_

"Wow, that's really far from here, isn't it?" he asked, still with that smile on his face. It was at that moment that Atelier knew Jungkook is different. He isn't like the others at all. He sees her, and he sees her like a person. It felt strange, somehow, but nice.

After orientation, they were sorted into different classes, and they never spoke again. She hardly ever saw him, but the times that she did, she would see him hanging around Soo Young, so she never bothered to reach out. She didn't think she'd have the chance to speak to him again.

Yet, here they are now, just the two of them in the empty hallway. He looks like the definition of perfect, with his dark, lightly tousled hair, and beautiful bright eyes. And she? Well, she'd rather not think about it.

"Are you okay?"

Atelier gulps. He sounds so wonderful! Since that first day she has just only been able to hear his voice from afar, but listening to him speak right in front of her –  _to_  her – is something else, and it's making her weak at her knees.

"Um, yes. I'm fine," she stammers, eyes darting away when she realizes she has been staring for too long. There isn't any indication that he even remembers their first encounter, but it isn't something Atelier can forget. And somehow... in the past five years, Jungkook has grown even more good-looking.

"I heard someone crying. I mean, not that I've been standing out here for long. I'm not a creep! I was just worried, that's all. You know, this part of the building is usually empty and quiet."

She smiles a little. As far as she is concerned, there's no need for him to explain himself at all. In fact, she hopes  _she_ doesn't look strange.

"Oh! Are you hurt?"

"Huh?" She looks at him quizzically. Then she notices him staring at the red-stained cloth peeking out from her bag. She doesn't blame him for looking that alarmed. It does look like blood. She stuffs the cloth deep into the backpack. "This isn't blood. It's just ink." She hopes it is. Suddenly, she feels like crying again.

"Is everything really okay?" Jungkook asks.

"Yes. I'm – I'm just a little sick," she lies, sniffling hard to make her point.

He nods like he understands her pain. "It must be the weather. Take care of yourself. We have finals next week, remember?" He gives her a smile. It radiates so much warmth she can just feel her tears drying up instantly.

"Yes, I will. Thank you, Jungkook." It is the first time she says his name out loud, and only after she did, does she remember she isn't supposed to know what his name is. They never formally introduced themselves to each other, and she only knew he was Jungkook from overhearing his friends calling out to him, which she never would have, if she hadn't been following him closely in the first week of school like the stalker that she is. 

"Um, well, I should go," she says, looking back down and turning away quickly before he can see her blushing like crazy.

He stops her. "Wait! I, uh, you know my name, but I don't know yours. It's really embarrassing. I'm sorry."

"It's okay..."

He regards her with a curious gaze. "Well... Aren't you going to tell me?"

She can feel her heart racing a hundred miles per second. She has to will herself to stay calm. "Atelier," she whispers.

"Atelier," he repeats, the corners of his lips turning up in an adorable smile. "That's a pretty name."

She can't tell if he's being genuine, and she doesn't know how to respond. She just looks at him.

"I have to get to my next class, but I'll see you around, Atelier." With that, he goes down the opposite direction, leaving Atelier alone in the empty hallway, gaping and staring at his back until he disappears around the corner.

"He knows my name," she says to no one in particular. A silly grin spreads across her face as she recalls how much sweeter her name sounds when he says it aloud, like it is dipped in chocolate. "Jungkook knows my name."  _And he thinks it's pretty_.

Maybe the last week of school won't be so bad after all.

**\---**

It is quiet. The air is cold and still as death. Eight figures stand motionless, their souls encased in sparkling crystal – the aftermath of the event that shattered their peaceful world. Twelve guardians, eight remains; waiting in faith and trust. One day. One day, they will restore calm to their people. The world that was once so complete and perfect will be revived and rejuvenated once again, but only with the return of its rightful ruler.

For 200 some years, the Tree has been suffering; drained of its Aether, its miserable broken frame of branches – stripped of life – is the only thing left of a legendary empire once so great and powerful. It is now nothing but memories in the minds of those who survived it all; those who have lost faith, and those who continue to believe.

Whether it is worth believing – only time will tell.

Amidst the surrounding darkness, a twinkle of light in the distance flutters ahead. It calls out to the guardians. Like its glimmer, its whisper is gentle but firm.

_Crack_.

The crystal loses its strength. Darkness fights back, but the twinkle glows brighter with each passing moment, refusing to extinguish. Like a butterfly, it dances in the air, leaving behind a trail of luminescence, and sits delicately on the Tree, seeping into its branch.

_Crack_.

A visible fracture runs across the limb of a crystalline figure as the Tree sprouts the first sign of life in more than two centuries. A beautiful white bud – the Speros flower, the source of hope. Despite the looming darkness threatening to harm it, it grows, and blooms.

_Crack_.

The flower bud, with all its might, spread its petals around its petite being, coming to a full bloom in a burst of glow. A magnificent golden glory with a shining core. And the light, it is carried away. It flutters to the crystalline figures, encircling them with the hope it carries, until –

_CRACK!_

One glowing crystal shell shatters and disintegrates into fine, shimmering sand. The guardian takes his first breath in centuries, and falls to his knees. It is like waking up from a dream. He examines himself, the feeling returning to his body, and stands. He pulls back his sleeve, and sees the crest that is etched onto his forearm – briefly emitting a glow, reminding him of his duty.

One by one, around him, his comrades are freed from their crystal prison. They exchange glances, but none of them speaks. No words are required. They stand astounded as the bright glow from the Speros flower beckons them to come closer. They know what this means. For them, for their world.

The guardian feels his lips curl into a small, grateful smile. This glimmer of light is an unmistakable sign – a sign that their effort 200 years ago wasn't in vain and that hope still lives. A sign they have all been waiting for.

The sorceress – their queen – is back. 


	2. 1 | Two

\---

Atelier has a bad feeling when she reaches home that day.

She sees a middle-aged man outside her house, talking with dramatic gestures. He seems to be conversing through the door with someone inside, and of course, the only possible person is Mother. She hopes it isn't something serious.

The last thing she hears the man say is something along the lines of "think about it", and it makes her wonder. He sees her when he turns to leave, and gives her a weird smile, like he knows something she doesn't. Atelier isn't sure if she wants to know what he is thinking. She simply looks away and hurries indoors.

Mother is sitting at the table, hunched over a mug. Her hands cover her face, and she doesn't notice Atelier coming in.

"Mama?"

Though soft, her voice startles the old lady. "Oh! Atelier, sweetie. You're home early."

She isn't really, but Mother doesn't seem to be paying attention to the time. She looks like her mind is somewhere else. Atelier glances into the living room and notices the absence of the children. Usually, Mother brings them home from school when she gets off work. "Is everything okay?"

Mother raises her head and smiles. It looks forced. "Yes. Yes, of course."

"And the kids...?"

"Oh! Oh, dear. I forgot to pick them up! My schedule is all out of whack after... Well –" she sighs, rubbing her temples. "There isn't much work at the factory today. So a few of us – most of us – are sent home early."

Atelier nods. While less work means less pay, and that certainly justifies Mother's worry, she can't help feeling there's something else too. Something to do with the weird man outside earlier. "I saw someone leave when I was walking home. Who is he?"

"Oh. That man." Mother purses her lips. "That's Jerry. Jerry Hammond. He came to ask about you."

"Me?" It has certainly piqued her interest. Atelier pulls out a chair and sits down to listen. "He knows me?"

"Well, dear, yes," Mother says. For a moment, she looks like she doesn't want to continue, but she knows Atelier would press on, so she sighs again. "He was the one who brought you in."

It doesn't surprise Atelier to hear that she was "brought in". She already knows she isn't related to Mother by blood. None of the children in the family are. They were all orphaned, and at some point, discarded on the streets and left to fend for themselves. It was Karen Rosche – the woman they fondly call Mama – who took pity on them and took to herself to raise them like her own children.

What  _does_  surprise her, is the fact that she is brought to Mother by someone else – this man named Jerry. She has always assumed that her parents, like most in Morheim, abandoned her because they couldn't afford to feed another mouth. Or worse, died to illness. The latter unfortunately sounds more comforting.

Perhaps Jerry knows her parents, or what happened to them, anyway. She decides that she wants to know too.

"How did he find me, did he say?" Atelier asks, eagerly.

"You were in his farm. He knew something was wrong when you were trembling and wouldn't respond to him at all. A little girl, all alone; it wasn't right. He brought you to me because we had known each other for a while and he thought I would know what to do."

"I don't remember any of that."

Mother smiles at her gently. "I wouldn't blame you, sweetie. You were terrified, scared stiff. We figured you'd gone through something awful. Your clothes reeked of smoke."

 _Smoke?_  A chill runs down her spine. Atelier feels a wave of cold sweat wash over her as the images – fragments of her nightmares – flood her mind yet again, feeding the growing pain in the back of her head. She sees a little girl; running, laughing.  _She was laughing!_  But the laughter turns into screams, and then –

"Atelier? Darling, you look pale. Are you alright?"

Mother's concerned voice brings her back to reality. She releases her death grip on the edge of the chair and takes big breaths to steady her heartbeat.

"I'm... I'm alright." Maybe if she says it enough she'll convince herself.

Mother reaches for her hand. It feels warm. "It's my fault. I must have triggered some bad memories. I'm sorry, dear."

"No, it's really fine, mama. I have to know. Someday I'll finally remember again." Mother has nothing to apologize for. None. Atelier places her other hand over the old lady's and finds it in her to smile. "I owe you my life."

"Don't say that, Atelier. You know I'm glad to have raised you. You have brought me much joy – you, Kenton, Melanie, Jason and Lucy. I don't regret taking in any of you. You have grown into a wonderful young lady."

"It's all thanks to you." And possibly, Jerry. Which reminds her – "So, why was Jerry here earlier? He didn't just come to ask how I'm doing, did he?"

Mother's expression hardens. She hesitates before speaking again. "No. He wanted to know if you were already... affianced."

For a brief moment, she sees Jungkook in her mind. She immediately feels silly and blushes. "Why would he ask that? I'm still in school!"

"Yes, he heard you're graduating soon."

"That doesn't mean I'm looking to get married." Not to someone she doesn't know! Especially not to a flaky middle-aged man, even if he did save her life somehow.

"He hopes for you to marry his son, not him, if that makes it better. He does have his own farm, you know..." Mother says, then bursts into a hearty laugh when she sees Atelier's perplexed expression. "I'm just teasing, dear. You know I wouldn't agree to it. I know you have your own aspirations. And you should. Let them take you away from this place."

Of course Atelier wants to leave Morheim. But she won't leave her family behind. They have to come with her. She just has to work harder to make it work for all of them. Surely it isn't completely impossible, no matter what Soo Young says.

"I will give you a better life, ma," Atelier says. "I promise."

"Don't worry about me, but thank you, dear. You're a big girl now, and – oh! I almost forgot!" Atelier watches as Mother nearly jumps off her seat. She grabs a small box off the counter top and places it in front of Atelier. "Go on, open it!"

Atelier does so, pulling the ribbon off. Inside the box is the prettiest cupcake she has ever seen, not that she has seen a lot. It has pink icing and looks like a rose in full bloom. She can't help but let out a gasp. "Wow. This is –"

"Happy birthday, Atelier," Mother says with a proud smile. She sticks a candle into the middle of the cupcake and lights it with a match. "I haven't given you much for your birthdays these ten years, but for your 18th, you deserve something special. A treat. Don't tell your siblings!"

Atelier suddenly wants to cry. Maybe the world has been cruel to her, but it certainly makes it up to her by giving her the best parent one could ever ask for. She throws her arms around Mother and plants a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you, mama."

Mother pats her back. "Welcome, dear. Now, make a wish and blow out the candle!"

The doorbell rings, and Atelier releases her hug so Mother can go take care of it. She picks up the cupcake and smiles like a child. What should she wish for?

After thinking for a while, she closes her eyes and whispers, "If you're out there, if you hear this – show me my path. Guide me, and tell me what to do."

She has no idea who she means it for. Maybe there is a God, maybe there isn't. Maybe it's for the wish-granting fairy. Or maybe it's for her birth parents, whom she misses sometimes. Regardless, she hopes her wish is heard. She opens her eyes, leans in, and blows gently at the flickering flame.

The fire that seems so tiny and harmless just a moment ago now roars with a sudden ferocity. Atelier gasps, wide-eyed. The bright orange flame twirls in the air and devours the candle in a matter of seconds and melts the beautifully piped icing.

How is this even possible?

"Atelier, Shiozu's here!"

"Oh, uh, I'll be there in a second!" By the time she turns back, the flame is gone, as suddenly as it grew, leaving Atelier with her shock, and a half-destroyed cupcake.

\---

Shiozu is a petite girl. No one would have guessed she and Atelier are the same age – in fact, she is three months older. That day, she is wearing a bright yellow frilly blouse with a white skirt, which she looks adorable in. She's always one of the extreme few in Morheim who manage to look well put together.

"So, my dear friend, I heard you're graduating soon!" Shiozu chirps as they walk to the school. She has insisted on coming along to pick up the kids, proclaiming that she has exciting news to share with her best friend. Atelier didn't bother turning her away; Shiozu, having grown up with politics, never takes 'no' for an answer. Besides, they haven't hung out in a while, and Atelier has missed her.

"Yeah," Atelier replies in a monotone. Just hearing the word 'graduation' makes her uncomfortable. Or rather, it's the thought of what comes  _after_  graduation. She doesn't know what to hope for anymore. "We still have our finals next week, but the Ball's this Saturday."

Her friend sighs dramatically and places an arm to her forehead in a pretend swoon. "Oh yes! The famous Jeron Vidar Graduation Ball! I can just picture it in my head." She skips ahead and twirls like a ballerina. "The soft orchestra music and the crystal chandeliers. The dancing! And the food! I imagine they'd have quite a spread. You're so lucky!"

 _Lucky?_ Atelier nearly scoffs, but in the end, simply states, "I'm not going."

Shiozu stares at her like she's crazy. "You're kidding, right? Of course you're going! It's the most important day of your life so far. How can you not attend your own Graduation Ball and still tell everyone you're a graduate from the best school in the whole nation?"

"I'm not really telling anyone about it."

"That's beside the point!" Shiozu harrumphed, putting her hands on her hips. "Parties are like, one of Pandemonium's specialties. And you're cordially invited! You'd be stupid not to go! Am I allowed to tell you how stupid you are?"

Atelier mumbles a 'no', but Shiozu is either too agitated to hear it, or just doesn't care. "You  _have_  to go, Atelier. It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal. Do you know how lucky you are? I didn't even get to graduate, let alone attend a ball."

"You know you could probably have gotten in if you wanted to." After all, Shiozu  _is_  the only daughter of the Morheim mayor.

"Don't patronize me! Last time I checked, my last name is Ishiguro, not Lee."

"Well –"

"Atelier, we're not discussing me right now. We're discussing you not attending your own graduation," Shiozu says. "Why?"

There are so many reasons not to go that it's hard to pick just one. "It's not my kind of event, Shiozu. The people who will be there – I'm not like them at all."

At this, Shiozu actually looks teary-eyed. "Don't let that stop you. You have as much right to be there as they do. They can't deny you."

"Except, they can. I'm sure they'll find a way."

"What if you find someone to go with you?"

"I'm the only non-Elite in my year, you know that."

"Oh come on, they can't  _all_  be assholes!"

Atelier shrugs. She used to believe that, but after years of experiencing first-hand life among the Elites, she doubts it. Then she remembers Jungkook – how nice and human he has been to her – and her cheeks suddenly heat up again. Their encounter earlier that day replays in her mind, shortly before she is reminded of Jerry's son. She shakes it off angrily.

She needs to tell Shiozu. They'll laugh about how ridiculous it is, and she'll feel better.

"Shiozu –"

"Oh, gosh! I can't believe I forgot!" Shiozu exclaims. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small pink envelope. Grinning sheepishly, she shoves it into Atelier's hands.

"A birthday card?" Atelier guesses.

"Mhm."

She unseals the envelope, finding two cards. The first is a handmade birthday card with a drawing of two girls holding hands – one taller than the other. ' _Happy birthday! I hope you get to live the life you're yearning for. Thank you for being the absolute sweetest friend._ ' Atelier smiles.

The design of the second card looks more polished, but Shiozu has drawn the same two girls on the front. Except, they are framed by taupe flower prints, and the shorter girl is wearing a long, white gown. Underneath, Shiozu has penned the message, ' _Will you be my bridesmaid?_ '

Atelier gaped stupidly at Shiozu, not knowing what to say. "You're–?"

"Yeah... I'm engaged," Shiozu says with a wide smile across her face.

" _What?_ "

"I know it's a little sudden, but my dad met up with his parents and they seemed really nice. They're an alright family, not doing too badly. He looks like a good person too."

In other words, Shiozu is getting married to a man she probably hasn't known for longer than a week. And she actually sounds happy about it, like she can't wait. It's not that arranged marriages are out of the norm in Morheim; most girls agree to marriage when they are as young as 16. But Shiozu is the mayor's daughter! Surely she has a choice?

"That's..." Atelier bites her lip. Dumb? Horrible? "... Great, Shiozu. Wow." Is it really? She isn't sure at all, but she tries to sound as sincere as she can. "Congratulations."

Shiozu looks delighted, and... relieved? She heaves a grateful sigh. "Thank you. You'll be my bridesmaid, won't you?"

Atelier forces a smile. "Sure, I'll be your bridesmaid."

"Awesome! I'm going to tell my parents as soon as I get home. Oh, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Nothing." Everyone in Morheim has a role. As if their fate is written and set in stone the moment they are born in the district, and even the Ishiguro family can't – doesn't want to – run from it. Maybe it's time Atelier accepts this. Maybe it's time she rolls with hers.

"It's nothing important."

\---

It turns out Soo Young is right. Atelier doesn't stand a chance in Pandemonium.

She should have expected it, of course. But she was hopeful, and hope has made her blind to the obvious fact; the fact that the government and the academy absolutely would not have given out scholarships to the non-Elites if merely graduating with good grades guarantees them a shift in their status. No, the lower class must stay low.

While the career counsellor drones on, Atelier tunes out. It is the first time she has heard of the word 'varsity', and that unless she has the means of attending one, there is no way anyone in the city will employ her. As Miss Song moves on to explain the more specific details, such as the careful selection process, entrance examination and the exclusive rights and priority given to the Elites, it is becoming clear that Lady Luck will not be able to help her this time.

Atelier is stuck. Her high school diploma would look nice on her wall, but it is useless and won't get her where she wants to go.

She has taken notes in her journal, and reviewing them only makes her angrier. At the school, at herself, and at her life. It is so unfair. She spent five years learning what the Elites learn. Everything they know, she does too. Why can't she be given a chance? Just because she is from Morheim? It isn't okay!

After the session is over, Atelier quickly leaves, not bothering to stay behind and ask questions like the other students are. It doesn't concern her. After next week, nothing in Pandemonium should concern her anymore.

She walks past a trash can, backtracks, and dumps her journal into it – all her thoughts, musings, written hopes –

 _Rubbish_.

\---

In class later that day, Atelier sits alone. Right in the back, as usual.

Her classmates are chatting away – gossiping, having actual discussions on school work, and whatever else it is that Elites talk about in their spare time. She looks out the window and stares into the distance, her mind empty yet miserable all the same. Her textbook lays open before her, but she has not read a single page.

Despite her absent mind, she is well aware of the sudden movement on her right. Someone pulls out the chair and sits next to her. This spot, of all the available seats in the classroom.  _Her_ , of all people. Already her classmates are turning to look, frowning as they set their disapproving gaze on her and the poor soul who is extremely bad at making decisions. He's a senior if he's in this class; doesn't he know who she is? He is going to have to learn the hard way.

Maybe he just doesn't care. It's coming to the end of the final year, after all.

"Hey," he whispers. Atelier ignores him. The other students are staring and whispering again. "Can I sit here?"

"If you want..." she mumbles. She swears, she can almost hear him smiling. Maybe he's trying to pull a prank on her. This pleasantry is not normal.

She wills herself to study her textbook, ignoring his presence, until she sees him pull out a notebook. A very familiar-looking notebook. With her name tag stuck on the front cover.

"That's –" Atelier looks up at her seat neighbour. When she meets his eyes, she freezes.

Jungkook smiles. "Finally got your attention."

Immediately, blood rushes to her face and she lights up like a tomato. "Sorry. I didn't know – I mean, I wasn't expecting to – I didn't think I'd see you again."

Oh, how  _dramatic_.

"Well, I did say I'll see you around," Jungkook says, his smile widening.

"Yes..." Her mind scrambles to find something to say. "Um, hi..."

He chuckles, like he finds her social inaptitude amusing. "Hello."

"So... uh, my notebook..."

"Oh, yes!" He slides it to her. It's his turn to blush. Atelier finds it adorable. "Seems a waste to throw that away, so I just... picked it up. Don't think I'm weird or anything – I don't always dig around in trash."

Atelier stares at the journal. The front page is covered with her doodles. Suddenly, she remembers – "You didn't read it, did you?" she asks, mortified.

Jungkook turns even redder, but he hides it well. "I, uh, may have looked at a few pages."

She tries to remember if she has written anything embarrassing in there. Specifically, her feelings towards him. Her mind is blank and she can't recall anything.

"Are you unhappy here?"

Atelier looks up again. Jungkook is displaying an expression of concern. "Huh? Oh, you mean –" Her entries in the journal, right. She thinks of something to say. "It's okay."  _But I'm not_.

"Sorry, I don't mean to pry," Jungkook says. "I didn't read too much of it, though. I swear."

"Don't worry about it. It's fine," she replies, slipping the notebook under her textbook. "Thanks for retrieving it."

Jungkook says something else, but Atelier isn't listening anymore. Out of the corner of her eyes, she sees them glaring at her. Whispering something nasty, sniggering, calling her names. Suddenly, it becomes too much to bear.

The vase of lilies by the window tips over and falls onto the floor with a deafening smash. Sana screams and jumps backwards. Gasps follow, and then silence falls over the classroom.

Atelier is stunned. She feels strange. She had been staring at the vase before it fell. She was staring and she was angry.

"You okay?"

Before she can answer, the bell rings and students scuffle out the door. No one bothers to take care of the broken vase. Someone will later notify the janitor. Atelier sighs and closes her textbook. She hasn't done any studying. Perhaps she should go to the library instead.

She doesn't even realize Jungkook is still around, until she turns and sees him. She looks at him, surprised that he hasn't left.

"Sorry, did you say something?"

Another smile. He hands them out like candy. "Not really, just asking if you'd like to walk together to the next class."

Her confusion grows. "But we're in different classes," she reminds him. "And I have the next period off."

"In that case," he pauses, standing up. "Won't you accompany me as I go to my class?"

It's almost suspicious, how nice he is to her. She feels terrible. "But won't someone see us?"

Jungkook raises an eyebrow, like he doesn't understand what she means.

"I'm from Morheim," she says, trying to sound as threatening as possible. He might have forgotten, but people don't like Morheimers. People don't like her.

Not one to give up, he replies, "I know." There is a hint of a smile playing on his lips. It makes her feel safe. It makes her trust him. "Let's go."

\---

They go their separate ways; Jungkook to his class, and Atelier to the library, where she will spend her next hour hiding behind books.

Rather than studying, she finds herself scribbling in her journal. She doesn't see herself as a writer – far from it; she is better with numbers. But, her thoughts need to go somewhere. It's not like she can talk to someone. It's not like anyone will listen.

Her conversation with Jungkook earlier plays over and over again in her mind. He is being incredibly nice to her. Like an actual friend. She still doesn't know what to make of it, but she is grateful for every moment she gets to spend with him. She almost wishes school extends another year, because school is the only thing they have in common.

After the next week, they won't see each other again. He will forget she even exists, but she will probably remember him forever.

Atelier puts her pen down. She wonders where she's going with her thoughts. She almost doesn't notice the footsteps approaching her from behind.  _Almost_. When she does, it is already too late.

She can't see who it is. Not with her head pressed against the pages of her book. She yelps in pain and tries to fight, but it only makes her attacker push down harder. She squirms, whimpering, until she sees the bright flash – the light reflected from the blade of a penknife, positioned just inches away from her face. Her heart stops.

"Don't make a sound," the girl warns, her voice laced with a sinister undertone.

"What do you want? Please, don't –"

The blade comes closer. "I said, don't make a sound. I won't hurt you as long as you don't make me. I'm just here to deliver a message."

Atelier winces, but the threat of the blade makes her stay still.

"Stay away from Jungkook."

 _Jungkook?_ "I wasn't –"

She watches in horror as the girl pulls a lock of her hair and chops it off. The lifeless strands flutter onto the ground in a pathetic heap. Pathetic like she is; she is choking on her own tears.

"I told you to keep quiet. You don't listen, do you, roach? Well, listen to  _this_ : stay away from Jeon Jungkook. Heed our warning, and you just may be able to graduate. Reject our kindness, and the next time it won't be so pretty. Understand?"

Atelier keeps quiet. She understands. The pressure lifts from her head as her attacker releases her, but she is too paralyzed to move. Empty, even. But slowly, anger fills the gaping hole, and she clenches her first.

"You're from Morheim. Don't you dare forget that."

No, she will  _never_  forget that.

\---

They have been watching from behind the shelves, the girls from Lorcada. The younger of the two asks if they should do something, but the older shakes her head. She has been around for far longer and knows the consequences of interfering. The Elites aren't fond of Morheimers in particular, and as if by their decree, no one else should be, either.

But that doesn't mean she agrees with them. It's just... it's easier to look the other way, so she often does.

The Elite leaves after she makes her point clear, and the girls wait until she is out the door before approaching Atelier. She has buried her head in her arms, and her body is shaking. She could be crying.

"Are you... are you okay?" the younger girl asks. No response. She places a hand on Atelier's shoulder.

The trembling stops. Atelier looks up. Her eyes are red but her face is dry, like she has been holding back tears. She glares at them, a cross between anger and disappointment.

Suddenly, a sense of dread washes over the younger girl. Her throat closes in fright, and she could swear she hears a voice screaming in the back of her mind; demanding to know why she didn't step in earlier to help, questioning her motives in faking pity after the damage is done. She swallows hard, and looks to her senior. She knows from the way the colour has drained from her face, that she feels it too.

"I'm sorry –" she begins, but is cut off when her eyes catch a glimpse of the wall lanterns all around the room. The flames are dancing and leaping high up in the air, growing out of control until the entire glass flasks are filled with orange red. With a sounding pop, the flames die, all at once.

"Leave me alone."

The girls hurry on their way. They don't need to be told twice.

 


	3. 1 | Three

\---

Jungkook sits alone in the classroom. Class is long over, but he decides to stay behind to do some studying. He hasn't decided on a varsity yet, but he does intend to do well for his finals. It'd open him to more choices. But not everyone is so lucky.

He pauses, suddenly feeling dreadful. He thinks of Atelier, the girl from Morheim, and can't help but wonder what will happen to her after their graduation from the academy. It would be so unfair if she doesn't get a shot into a varsity. She works hard, twice as hard as most in Jeron Vidar. He knows she wants more than anything to escape her old life in Morheim and start anew in the city, and if it were up to him, he'd say she deserves it.

Will he never see her again? He wishes that isn't the case.

Maybe he should have reached out to her earlier. It isn't as if he didn't know of the bullying. Everyone in the academy knows. The Elites may be horrible, but Jungkook knows he's just as bad, if not worse, for staying silent. Like it doesn't bother him.

Maybe that's why he's befriending her now. In the last week of the final term. He scoffs, angry at himself. Is he even doing this for her? Or is this more for himself, to make him out to be more of a hero than he is a villain? To ease his conscience and make himself feel slightly better?

_Disgusting, Jeon Jungkook._

While he battles with his inner voice, Song Jin and Mei Yu – he recognizes them as two of Soo Young's closest friends – enters the classroom. He hears them mention 'roach' and he winces, as if he has just taken a blow. He begins muttering aloud the words in his revision book, in hopes that somehow, his own voice will drown out the gossiping, which seems to get louder by the second, as though they want him to hear everything.

They approach him, and he twirls his pen on his fingers to look busy.

"Hey, Jungkook," one of them – Mei Yu – says, tapping her fingernails on the wooden desk. She giggles; it irritates him and makes him snap at her.

"What?"

"Have you asked Soo Young to be your date for the Graduation Ball?" Another voice this time. Song Jin's.

Without waiting for his reply, Mei Yu chimes in, "She showed us her dress. We're not going to tell you the details, but it's absolutely gorgeous and she looks stunning in it. You're going to love it."

Song Jin nods in excitement. "You should definitely ask her  _soon_. The Ball is in three days, and although it's obvious you're going with her, she's waiting for your invitation," she says, then pulls a face. "Besides, some girl from the lower class seems to think she stands a chance.  _Puh_ -lease. It's time to put her in her place."

Jungkook feels his blood heating up, just a little below the boiling point. They'd better not be talking about Atelier. He clenches his fists under the table.

"Seriously. She's from Morheim and she dares to dream. Come on. Jungkook is of course going with someone who lives up to his standard and status. And Soo Young –"

"Who says I'm going with her?"

It sounds less like a question and more like an angry statement. He  _is_  angry, and they know immediately that he means  _her_  as in  _Soo Young_ , not Atelier. It confuses them. Mei Yu recoils, and Song Jin turns around like she has just been slapped. They stare at him in shock.

"What? Are you joking?"

"No," he says firmly. "I'm dead serious. I'm not going to the ball with Soo Young."

Song Jin shakes her head. "But – but you can't –" It hits her, and she gasps. The thought.  _The dreaded thought_. "You don't mean you're going with  _her_ , are you?"

" _Her_  name is Atelier," he reminds her, though he doesn't answer the question. There's no need to.

"You must be crazy," Mei Yu sputters. "Why with her? She's so beneath you I have to strain my neck to look at her –"

Jungkook slams his book shut and silences her with a steely glare. "Have you ever stopped to think that the words you take less than five seconds to say can hurt someone for more than five years? Maybe even forever?"

Mei Yu opens her mouth to reply, but snaps it shut at the last moment, having nothing to say in retort. She looks to Song Jin for help as Jungkook gathers his things and shoves past them to leave.

He nearly reaches the door, when Song Jin's voice cuts to him, "That girl's from Morheim, for God's sake. And you're an idiot if you think Soo Young is going to let you off for this. She'll –"

"Let her."

Maybe he's tired. Maybe he just doesn't care anymore.

\---

Atelier spends Wednesday evening studying in the kitchen, her siblings shooed into their room to give her the silence she needs to concentrate. Gratefully, she makes the most out of the few hours, and manages to get a good portion of her revision done.

Feeling tired but rather proud of herself, she retires for the night and goes up to her room, where her siblings have already fallen asleep. Except Lucy, who sits up when she sees her sister.

"Big sister?"

Atelier smiles and sits on the edge of the bed. "Hey there, teeny. Not feeling sleepy yet?"

"I was waiting for you. This is for you," Lucy says, slipping a tissue-wrapped package into Atelier's hands. "Mama said it's your birthday yesterday. I got you a present."

"Oh, sweetheart, thank you... Can I open it?"

Lucy nods, a look of excitement on her face. Atelier pulls the wrapping apart and gasps when she sees the glint of the silver pendant. It has a rhinestone embedded in the middle, and looks absolutely exquisite, which begs the question: how did Lucy get a hold of this? How could anyone in Morheim?

"This is –"

"Miss Pilfer gave it to me, for being good," Lucy answers.

It looks too beautiful to be a gift for a five-year-old, however good they behave. Besides, Atelier can't believe a Morheim school teacher can have something like this, and then bear to part with it just like that. Maybe... it's one of those replica that's meant to look just like the real thing.

"Wow, teeny." She ruffles her sister's hair. "You must have been super good, huh?"

Lucy grins. "Yes, but I want you to have it! Do you like it?"

"Yes. Thank you again."

Suddenly, Lucy's grin fades, replaced by a quivering frown. "I love you, big sister. Mama says you're going to the city. I – I don't want you to forget me."

Atelier feels her heart breaking. "Oh, sweetheart. I won't forget you, ever. I love you too."

"Then don't leave me. Please? Can't you stay?"

"I just want to give you a better life, Lucy," Atelier explains, hoping her sister will understand. "Don't you want to come to the city too? It's beautiful." For the most part, at least.

Lucy's eyes glisten. "But this is our home."

She's right. Morheim  _is_  their home. Why can't Atelier stay home – where she has her family and best friends – and be happy about it?

She doesn't have a choice anymore, but that isn't necessarily that bad a thing.

"Can you sleep beside me tonight?"

Atelier dismisses her thoughts and smiles. "Sure." She settles into bed next to her sister and tucks her in, pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Go to sleep, okay?"

They lay in silence for a few moments, until Lucy asks in a whispers, "Are you really going to the city?"

"No," she answers, without hesitation. "No, Lucy. I won't. We'll stay here. We'll stay home."

She'll just have to make it work.

\---

Atelier has always hated gym class.

There are only two gym sessions; one for the boys, and one for the girls. Therefore, it is the only class she shares with Soo Young, which makes sense, because gym is somewhat an extension of hell, and Soo Young is most definitely a demon, surrounded by her evil underlings.

If only she were small enough. Atelier would hide herself in her locker for the entire period. Nobody would notice her absence, and even if they do, they wouldn't care enough to go looking for her. She's like a pebble, or a stone on the road – seen but ignored, at least, until they want someone to make fun of. Then they would pay attention to her, kick her around for some laughs.

Gym sessions are really just two hours for the athletically gifted to show off, for the average Jane's to have fun with their friends, and for Atelier to mind her own business – usually reading – while being smacked in the head by flying projectiles every once in a while. Shuttlecocks hurt a lot, in case anyone is wondering.

Eventually, she moves to the bench behind the instructor; a tall, well-built woman they refer to as Miss Kim. She's one of the few teachers Atelier quite likes, because she doesn't care too much about her, which means she doesn't find opportunities to poke fun at her along with the rest of her students.

Miss Kim barely pays her any attention, which is nice, but she can feel Soo Young and her minions glaring daggers in her direction. She remembers the warning from her library attacker and swallows, fear creeping up and down her spine. She hasn't seen Jungkook since then, and has been actively avoiding him for her own sake, so she hopes they don't do anything else that will actually hurt her.

If they do, how many people would care?

\---

After the end of the session, the girls flock into the locker room to change back into their uniforms. As usual, Atelier waits until they have left before making her way in. Gym is followed by lunch break, so there isn't a need for her to hurry, anyway.

She walks to her locker, opens the door, and gasps.

It is empty.

She tries the one above –  _nothing_  – then the one below –  _still nothing_.

Panic starts to engulf her. She checks the other lockers, one by one, until she has raided them all and found  _nothing_. Her uniform isn't in any of them.

"Atelier Rosche," Miss Kim calls sternly from the doorway, her hands on her hips. "What are you still doing here?"

"My – my clothes," Atelier stammers. "I – I can't find them."

Miss Kim gives her a  _look_. "You forgot where you left your uniform?"

"No, I know where I kept it. But it's not here. It's gone," she tries to explain, her voice trembling like she's sitting through an earthquake. "I think – I think someone took them..."

"What? Why would anyone –" Miss Kim starts, then it hits her and she stops herself, sighing. Impatiently. "Nevermind. I'll help."

She does what Atelier has already done; opening all the lockers in the room. Knowing full well her teacher won't find anything, Atelier moves on to the shower stalls. She even removes the lid from the trash can to peek inside, and thankfully doesn't find her uniform in there.

She is about to give up when she hears Miss Kim call out. "I found them."

Atelier rushes out of the shower room, smiling gratefully, until her teacher shouts for the second time, "In here. In the toilet." And her blood runs cold, all traces of hope evaporating into thin air.

The floor is dry but Atelier walks carefully as if she is afraid she will slip, fall, and die. Miss Kim is standing in front of the second stall, looking grim. She turns, pushes past Atelier, saying, "I'll get you a bag."

Atelier braces herself, and even though she already knows what to expect, seeing her black coat, white shirt, and black pleated skirt all heaped in a dark pile in the toilet bowl still feels like a giant wet slap to her face. Her red ribbon hangs from the edge of the seat, gently twirling in the wind from the air vents, mocking her.

They wrecked her uniform. They ruined it. All of it, except for her shoes. Her dark brown lace-up boots Mother traded a week's supplies for. They spared her shoes – how kind of them – she can't say she's grateful.

"Take this." Atelier turns around and sees Miss Kim holding out a green plastic bag. "Fish them out."

Atelier stares at the bag, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't want them anymore," she whispers. 

"Well, for God's sake, you can't just leave them in there," Miss Kim snaps. She pushes the bag into Atelier's hands. "Just take them out. I'll notify the office so you'll be excused for the rest of the day."

She wants to thank her teacher, she really does. But at that moment, all she feels is anger.

After Miss Kim leaves, Atelier kneels by the toilet and reaches into the bowl. Tears are slipping down her cheeks. She doesn't understand – why can't they just leave her alone for two more days? Two more days, and then she will be gone from their lives.

She holds the bag open with one hand and stuffs her clothes in with the other. She lets her tears dry and stain her cheeks, not willing to wipe them with her hands – hands that are wet with toilet water.

\---

Atelier leaves one washroom only to end up in another.

Everyone was staring when she walked down the hallway. Pointing at her, sniggering at her misfortune, as though they had planned it. And maybe they did. Nothing else would surprise her at this point.

She drops the bag of wet of clothes onto the tiled floor, and washes her face at the sink. It's as if with water dripping off her face, she can somehow convince herself that she isn't crying.

And she isn't. She is done crying.

She turns the tap off and slowly looks up, straight at her reflection in the mirror. This is it. This is the face everyone hates. The face of a try-hard who wants nothing more than to change her fate, but never will. Because at the end of the day, she is only a Morheim girl, and people  _hate_  Morheim.

Atelier grips onto the ceramic until her knuckles turn white. She glares into the mirror, a tiny seed of hatred and resentment growing inside her, threatening to burst in a violent scream. It is needed. She feels like she's going to explode.

The glass trembles, but she doesn't notice. She just keeps glaring at herself, gritting her teeth, shaking with anger. Her reflection splits by a jagged crack across the mirror, and then – all at once – every piece of glass in the room shatters, the giant mirror exploding. The shards rain down, falling into the sink. The taps break and shoot streams of water in everywhere.

Stunned, Atelier backs away. Her hands fall to her sides as she surveys the destruction. Anger fades quickly, replaced by shock, disbelief.

The door swings open and slams against the wall. A sharp gasp follows. "Atelier Rosche! What have you done?"

_What has she done?_

It is overwhelming. She does the only thing she seems to be good at.

She bursts into tears.

\---

The counsellor's office feels strangely calming.

Atelier doesn't relax, though. She is sitting on one of the taupe sofas in one corner of the room, her hands on her lap, nails digging into her palms. In front of her sits a middle-aged man, flipping through a folder with her name on it. The nametag pinned above his chest pocket identifies him as Dr Harold Winston.

He looks familiar. She can't quite put a finger on it.

"So, Miss Rosche," he finally says, closing the folder. He takes out a notepad and clicks his pen. "First, I want you to know that you're not here because you're in trouble. You're here because we want to help you."

She doubts it. She was only sent here because she was bawling her eyes out and Miss Kim didn't know what to do with her. So, like most other teachers, she made sure Atelier becomes someone else's problem.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?"

Where would she even begin? She won't waste her time or his. He wouldn't care anyway. He's paid to listen to her, but he can't do anything to help. He won't do anything to help. Just like the rest.

"You read my file," Atelier mutters under her breath.

"Ah, yes. But I'd like to hear it from you." Dr Winston doesn't smile, but he looks friendly enough. Friendly, but firm. "You'll tell me, won't you?"

"I'm from Morheim," she blurts, as if that's the only thing that matters. Maybe it is, to the Elites. Her lips quiver again.

"I see we're neighbours of sort. I come from Dirmoi."

At this, Atelier's ears perk and she looks up. "Really?"

"Yes. I came to Pandemonium when I was 25, and here I live for the past 23 years. Time really flies."

A non-Elite who becomes successful in the city? She was taught that it's not possible. "But... how?"

"I work hard. Relentlessly hard. I gave up a lot to come here, and I promised myself it wouldn't be in vain."

"What did you give up?"

"Family," he answers immediately. "Don't ask me whether it was worth it, because frankly, I don't know if it is."

She gulps. "Why can't they come with you?"

For the first time, Dr Winston smiles. There's no trace of humour in it, only sadness. "Pandemonium isn't very welcoming, is it, Atelier?"

Atelier looks back down and shakes her head. No, it isn't.

"Hang in there. Your worth isn't defined by what people think of you. I think you're a strong girl, Atelier. You've come this far, you can go further," Dr Winston says. Wrinkles gather at the corners of his eyes as his smile widens. "You'll do great things, I'm sure. Maybe not here in the city, but somewhere out there, there is something only you can do."

It's like listening to an audio recording of a motivational book. Atelier nods. She doesn't believe him, really, but he is nice and nice people are hard to come by.

\---

It is during lunch when Jungkook hears about what happened.

He's sitting in the dining hall with Namjoon and Hoseok, at their usual table, waiting for Soo Young to arrive. His hair is still damp from the quick shower he took after gym, just 20 minutes earlier.

He starts feeling uneasy when he hears people giggling. He doesn't think too much of it at first, choosing to believe that they are just laughing in response to a joke someone made, and that the joke isn't Atelier. He hopes it isn't.

Then he sees Soo Young, sashaying into the hall with her friends, and she is laughing too. He smiles at her when she sits down, but she is too absorbed in the joke to actually pay any attention to him at all.

"Did you see her face? God, that was gold."

"She had no idea what was coming to her. She deserves it though."

In spite of himself, he asks, "Who are you talking about?" Soo Young wraps her arms around his and giggles again. His blood running cold, he repeats his question, sternly this time, "Who are you laughing at?"

"That Morheim girl," Soo Young says, flipping the long strands of brown hair off her shoulder. "She lost her uniform during gym session."

"What? You don't have anything to do with that, do you?"

"Of course not, Jungkook. Why would I do something like that?"

He doesn't believe her. In fact, he is  _sure_ she has a hand in the prank. Since when did the girl he grew up with become capable of such low acts of cruelty? "Did you take her clothes, Soo Young?" he demands to know.

Soo Young pulls away and glares at him. For a moment, he expects her to deny in her regal voice that  _no, it wasn't her_ , to prove him wrong. But she says curtly, with no sense of remorse whatsoever, "Why do you care, Jungkook? Why's it so important? It's funny, is all."

"How is tormenting a girl who has done nothing wrong, funny?"

"Why are you yelling at me?"

Jungkook looks away. He says nothing, not even when Soo Young sighs and tugs at his arm playfully, attempting to make peace.

"Come on, Kookie, don't be mad, okay? I hate it when you're upset. Please?" He would have forgiven her right then, given her another chance, but she goes to add, "Especially when you're upset because of the stupid Morheim roach."

Instantly, he wrenches his hand away and stands up. The atmosphere at the table goes from lively to cold. Namjoon and Hoseok has stopped flirting with Song Jin and Mei Yu. They all turn to stare at him.

"Don't talk about Atelier like that," he warns them.

Soo Young's expression at that particular moment can't be far from hurt, but even more so, she is  _pissed_ , and the one second of sadness simply vanishes, replaced by rage. "Why? Do you have a soft spot for her?"

"That's not the point."

"Of course it is! You do, don't you? You like her. You like that bitch."

" _Stop_  that. Stop calling her names. What did she ever do to you?"

"What did she do to me? Why, she –" she flounders. "She's trying to steal you from me!"

He isn't even hers to begin with, but he doesn't bring that up. "No one's trying to steal me from you."

"Oh yes, she is. I've seen the way she looks at you. She has a big, fat crush on you. And you  _like_  that, don't you?" she scoffs angrily. "Imagine that. A Morheim girl in love with the escort of the Primarch's daughter. What is it if not a  _joke_? She's a joke. She deserves it."

Jungkook shakes his head slowly. He doesn't recognize her anymore. "You're horrible," he says, walking away.

"Am I? I suppose you're the good person then? Here to be her  _hero_. If you think she's so pitiful then why don't you just ask  _her_  to the ball?"

"Okay. Maybe I will."

He can't describe the look on her face then, but he doesn't try to. He just turns around and keeps walking.

\---

Atelier spends the rest of the day in the library, hiding from everyone else. This, she has become incredibly good at. She knows all the quiet spots, all the areas no one go to. She would have gone to the second floor washroom in the old wing, but after what happened earlier, she decides to stay away from washrooms for the time being.

She sits on the carpeted floor, her face buried between her knees. The green plastic bag containing her uniform lies a small distance away from her.

Thunder rumbles outside, a sure sign of coming rain, which she finds comfort in. It is calming, the smell of old books warming, and she has nearly fallen asleep a few times. Maybe she has. She isn't sure how much time has passed since she settled down in this spot.

Footsteps approach her, and she holds her breath, as though if she stays silent enough she'll appear invisible.

Something wraps around her shoulders; she startles with a gasp. She looks up at the person in front of her. Jungkook. Who else?

She's speechless. He's without his coat. She feels it weighing down her back.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

She isn't. She doesn't reply, and he understand what that means. He gets down beside her and sighs. "I'm sorry, about what happened. They've really gone too far," he says.

"Don't be sorry. It isn't your fault."

He looks at her with a pained expression. "But did I make it worse?"

Atelier doesn't know how to answer that. The fact is, he might have, but he has personally been nothing but nice to her, and she isn't about to make him feel guilty. "No, you didn't. Really."

"I wish I can do something."

"Mhm."

Silence. Thunder sounds in the distance, and raindrops fall. After what seems like forever, Jungkook takes a deep breath and clears his throat. "Hey, um, Atelier?" She waits for him to continue. His cheeks seem to have turned two shades redder. "Do you – will you go to the Graduation Ball, with me...?"

Somewhere in the library, books tumble from the shelves and fall to the ground.

Atelier stares at him. "What?"

"The ball this Saturday. Will you go with me?"

"Why?"

 _Why?_  What a dumb response. She wants to kick herself.

"No reason, really. I just..." He looks as nervous as she is surprised. "I'd love to go with you."

She shakes her head. "No – why, why are you being so nice to me?"

It comes out accusatory, and she isn't sure if she means it that way. She's confused. She doesn't know what to think, how to react. She wants to hug him, but she also wants to run.

"I'm not just doing this because I want to be nice," Jungkook says. He looks a bit hurt. "I mean what I said, that I want to go with you. But it's okay, if you'd rather not come with me –"

"No, I want to!" she cuts in, a bit too eagerly. Jungkook smiles. Heat rises to her cheeks, no doubt painting them a nice shade of crimson. Her heart feels like it's about to explode. "But... I don't belong."

"Is that what they're telling you? That you don't belong?"

"They're right."

"No, they aren't. You're a student here, Atelier. You have every right to attend the Graduation Ball. Don't let them tell you otherwise."

Atelier bites her lip and stares at the ground, counting specks of dust visible to her eyes. "I don't know."

"I understand your reservations, but I promise you, I'll stay by your side. I won't let them hurt you."

That's a big promise to make, but somehow, she trusts him. He has a way of making her feel safe.

"Will you at least think about it? You can let me know tomorrow."

She nods.

The bell rings, and they both jump a little. Then he chuckles, and she follows. He seems relieved to hear it. "I have one final class for the day."

"Okay."

"Will you be alright?"

The concern in his voice warms her, and she assures him with a smile. "I'll be fine."

He smiles back. "Then I'll get going."

"Wait, your coat!" She removes it from her back and waits for him to take it off her hands. He does, but drapes it around her again.

"You can have it. You need it more than I do."


	4. 1 | Four

\---

Atelier isn't in school on Friday. Jungkook sighs as he takes one last glance at the empty hallway, wondering if he'll ever see her again.

\---

Mother doesn't probe when Atelier tells her she wants to stay home on the last day of school, which is nice. She'd hate to have to explain.

It feels good to have the morning to herself. She takes her time to get up from bed, wash up, and have a small breakfast of biscuits and milk. She cleans and tidies up the house, cooks some lunch for her family to enjoy when they get home, and finally sits down to study.

She grabs her books from her backpack and sees her journal. It reminds her of Jungkook, for some reason. Immediately she feels like a horrible person.

Yesterday, he asked her to the ball. It wasn't actually dream – their conversation in the library really happened, as evidenced by his coat, which she has kept in pristine condition on her bed – but to Atelier, it is a dream all the same. A dream come true. She will never in a million years  _dare_  to wish to go to the Jeron Vidar Graduation Ball with Jeon Jungkook.

This is her chance. Yet, she won't go with him.

In a way, she is skipping school because she doesn't know how to face him. She doesn't know how to look him in the eye and turn his invitation down. And she'll never know how to make him understand that it isn't him; it's her.

She  _is_  a Morheim girl. She'll never be able to run away from that, and she won't try anymore. She won't kid herself further by pretending that going to the ball is a luxury she can afford. She won't set herself up to fall and break because dancing with her prince for one night doesn't mean anything, because at the end of the day, she is merely a pauper.

Jungkook is a great guy, Atelier is sure of this. She is glad to have known him, even if only for a few days. He gives her hope that maybe, just maybe, there are more Elites like him. As Shiozu said, maybe they aren't all assholes.

The doorbell rings and interrupts her thoughts. She goes to the door quickly to see who it is. Mostly everyone knows the house is empty at this time of the day, so she doesn't have a clue who it could be. She sure hopes it isn't Jerry or his son.

It isn't.

"Surprise!"

"Shiozu? What are you doing here?"

The petite girl grins. Atelier notes that she's holding a turquoise gift box in her hands. "I bumped into Karen this morning and she told me you're home. Asked me to check on you and make sure you aren't sick. You aren't sick, are you?"

"No..." Atelier begins, but her friend has already moved on to something else.

"I hope you're not missing out on anything important today. The ball is tomorrow, after all, and I'm here to make sure you're going."

She hates to disappoint, but it has to be done. "Shiozu, I –"

Shiozu shushes her. "Before you say anything..." she raises the box and holds it out to her. "I have a special delivery for you."

Atelier never knows how to respond when receiving gifts. She always feel like she doesn't deserve any, and it's not like she gets presents often. "Why all of a sudden, though?"

"Well, it's Sharity season and the cities sent over some stuff. This one is... special. It's meant just for you."

"Why would anything from the Sharity be just for me?" Atelier asks, suspicious.

Shiozu pulls a face. "Can we save the questions for later? My hands are sore from carrying this. Just take it!"

To say that she isn't excited would be lying. Atelier takes the box from Shiozu and holds her breath as she removes the lid to look inside. Her gaze falls on a shimmery white material folded into a square. She pulls it out, and the beauty of the dress quite literally takes her breath away.

"Wow... This is beautiful."

"Isn't it? I was stunned when I first saw it," Shiozu says, sighing dreamily. "Oh, there's a card at the bottom of the box."

Atelier picks it up and reads the content.

_Hope this reaches you safely, Atelier._

_I think you'll look exquisite in this._

_Looking forward to see you at the ball._

_Love, Jungkook_

"Ah, how sweet..."

Atelier puts the card away quickly, blushing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Save it. I read what it says earlier. How else would I know it's for you?" A mischievous look crosses Shiozu's face. "So, who's this Jungkook guy, huh? Love interest, or  _potential_  love interest?" she teases.

Atelier turns even redder, if that's remotely possible. "He's a friend."

"A friend! I see." Shiozu crosses her arms and raises her brow. "How come you never told me this friend asked you out to the ball, Atelier?"

"He asked me yesterday," Atelier sighs. It isn't like she's deliberately keeping it from her friend.

"You've accepted, haven't you?" Seeing her hesitation, Shiozu stamps her foot on the ground, not unlike a child who demands something he can't have. She pulls her hair in frustration. "You have to! Atelier, please."

Atelier lays the dress on the dining table – which she has cleaned very well, so no worries about stains – and feels the soft material of the fabric with her fingers. Did Jungkook really pick this dress out for her? Her heart is doing jumping jacks, and she can't breathe properly.

"Oh, no use laying it out like that! Go put it on and show me, will you? I'm sure you'll look like a princess!"

She doesn't need to look like a princess. She doesn't need to be the centre of everyone's attention either. She only wants to be the centre of Jungkook's attention. That is, if he still wants her to be his date, of course. She wonders if he has changed his mind, but she knows it isn't helpful to doubt him. Or herself.

After another push from the impatient Shiozu, Atelier obediently goes into her room to put on the dress. She clicks the door shut – "Are you sure you can wear a dress on your own?" Shiozu has said in her attempt to wiggle herself in, so Atelier is  _not_  taking chances – and takes off her clothes before gingerly stepping into her new dress. It ends just slightly above her knees and is a perfect fit, as though it is tailored just for her.

She opens the door, prompting a high-pitched squeal from Shiozu. "Atelier – my goodness, you're gorgeous!"

She's right. Atelier does look beautiful. The sweetheart neckline is adorned with rhinestones. The bodice accentuates her figure and makes her look more feminine than usual. She doesn't know what material the fabric is, but it's as if glitter is woven into and between each and every strand. The skirt spreads out and makes her feel like doing a twirl. Or two.

Shiozu looks like a proud fairy godmother. "You're going to be a stunner at the ball, and this Jungkook guy will fall in love with you, if he hasn't already. This is the start of your fairytale, I'm so excited! And you know what? We can wear some flowers in your hair. It's perfect!" She clucks her tongue and slaps Atelier's shoulder. "Don't slouch!"

"I'm not used to this kind of clothes."

"I know, but you will grow to love it. Anyway. Flowers, in your hair. Did you know I'm good with hairstyling? I'll come over to dress you up before you head to the ball, okay?"

Atelier isn't really listening. She tucks her hair behind her ear so she can see her whole face clearly. "You really think I look good?"

"Of course! I never lie."

She can definitely remember a few instances in which Shiozu  _did_  lie, mostly to get herself out of trouble with her strict parents, but she makes no mention of it. She can't stop staring at her reflection in the mirror, and smiling.

In spite of herself, she is already dreaming of having a good time at the ball. Enjoying herself, dancing with Jungkook, although she doesn't quite know how to dance. She just wants to be with him, even if it's the last time they'll see each other.

Especially if it's the last time.

\---

Time is running short.

They must go. They must find her. She isn't safe, wherever she is. Her powers are undeveloped, raw; she doesn't stand a chance – all on her own – against the enemies, if they ever got to her first.

That can't happen. Nothing can happen to the sorceress this time. Lucem made that promise centuries ago.

They have to locate her, but it isn't easy, and no one said it would be. Exotreia is, after all, a little more than an empty shell at this point. Barely anything but darkness and shadows.

But – she doesn't have to be in Exotreia.

They know she is alive. They sensed the calling; faint and distant, but Lucem heard it the loudest. So would the Shadow Army, by now.

"You are sure?" one of his comrades asks, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he waits for a reply. "You really think she's there?"

 _There_. Terra, Exotreia's sister world – the Titan's second. The Great Cataclysm that had robbed Tierra Gloriosa of its queen and shattered Exotreia would no doubt have left a scar on Terra all the same. Lucem shudders to think about the fate of Terrans and what has become of their Aether-scarce world.

But the Titans saw fit to protect Terra with a shield, such that no harm from Exotreia can ever fall upon it. As long as the shield remains intact, Terra has substantial protection and is the safest place the sorceress can be, at least for the time being.

They must go.

"We don't have much time," he says to no one in particular. He looks at the brand etched onto his forearm; a reminder of their duties and responsibilities as guardians. Of the promise they once made. To protect her.

But first they must find her. And they will.

"I hope you're right."

Lucem hopes so too. 

 


	5. 1 | Five

\---

The first thing that strikes her when she enters the ballroom is glamor, then awe. The air is heavy with the fragrance of fresh flowers, the room a sea of formal evening wear. Beautiful figures are dancing in chiffon, silk, lace and satin flowing gowns that make her own dress looks more like sleepwear. She suddenly feels self-conscious. Surely they will notice her; she is a goose among swans.

Atelier shrinks away from the crowd, though perhaps trying to blend in would be a better choice. She looks around for Jungkook, but it proves to be difficult with her classmates rustling about. A few times, they bump into her as she takes slow paces across the room, and they turn to glare before gasping in disbelief, her appearance tonight leaving them stunned. She blushes furiously and hurries away, but she can feel their stares still on her.

It is normally a bad thing, to be stared at. But tonight, it feels different. It feels... nice, somehow.

"Atelier?"

She turns, her heart skipping a beat when she faces Jungkook. He looks so handsome in his black suit and red bowtie, still with his messy mop of ebony hair. She can't remember ever seeing him with neatly styled hair before, but he doesn't really need to bother with it. He looks fine just like this. Stunning, without any extra effort.

He breaks into a lopsided grin. They looked at each other, neither speaking a word.

She can ignore everyone else, not care about what they say about her. But Jungkook's opinion matters. She wants him to compliment her and tell her what Shiozu has already said, in a deeper, manlier voice.

"Hi," he finally says, breaking the silence. Atelier hears herself squeaking a soft greeting in return. "Wow. Sorry. I mean – you look..."

A number of adjectives flashes through her mind. All good ones, considering Jungkook's character. Gorgeous? Breath-taking? Mesmerizing?

"... beautiful."

That works too.

\---

She's so pretty. No one can take their eyes off her, Jungkook is sure of it. He certainly can't look away.

He has never seen her like this before. Were he more prepared to see her here dressed like a princess – he wasn't; he wasn't expecting to see her tonight at all – he might be able to grasp on a proper word to describe her, but she is practically glowing so much it's almost blinding. His mind whirls furiously to find an adjective, and after a brief moment, he settles on 'beautiful', because he decides that her beauty doesn't have to be described. It should be treasured, admired.

"Thank you," she mutters softly, sounding a tad more confident. He steps forward and offers her a bow.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come. I didn't see you yesterday. I thought –"

Atelier glances up at him with an expression that is half nervousness, half something else. And he is pretty sure he knows what that something else is. Soo Young is right; she does have a crush on him.

She smiles, but quickly looks to her feet when their eyes meet. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The question is, does he like her too?

He takes her hand gently and responds to her surprise with a warm smile.

"Me neither."

\---

Atelier doesn't know what to say. She doesn't know what to do with her hands, which seem to dangle freely on either sides of her body. She doesn't know where to look, but it doesn't matter, because no matter where she turns to, she always comes back to his eyes.

She would notice that he's already looking her way. Their gaze would meet, and then they would look away shyly. It sounds awkward, but to her, it's slightly intoxicating.

"Are you hungry?" he asks her. "Do you want to eat something?"

Truth is, she's starving. She has been so nervous the entire day she barely ate anything at all. "Yes."

He leads her to the buffet table, where she gasps upon seeing the largesse all laid out; finger food of all kinds imaginable, some stacked up on racks, others piled on delicate glassware. She has never seen half of the food served, much less tasted them, and she begins to panic.

"Punch?" says a server, balancing a tray of flutes on one hand.

"Maybe later," Jungkook says.

"Enjoy yourselves," the server chirps, tips his head, then briskly moves on to other guests. Atelier's gaze follows him as he weaves through the crowd. It isn't until she feels something cold pushed into her grasp that she turns back to Jungkook.

She realizes he passed her a plate. She looks at it, then back at him.

"Go on. Pick whatever you want to eat," he says, motioning to the spread.

"Anything?" she blurts. She feels silly, but Jungkook finds it amusing. He grins.

"Can't choose?"

"Well, they all look delicious."

"True. Why don't you just try a little bit of everything?"

She blinks at him. "Really? All?"

He laughs, though it isn't mocking. "Yes!" He takes the plate from her hands and gestures to a table on the far right. "Why don't you take a seat? I'll be there quickly."

Atelier nods. She trusts that he knows Pandemonium cuisine better than she does. She moves to the table before noticing that there are already a few people seated, munching away and making small talk. None whom she recognizes; they must be from a different class. She gulps.

One girl spots her and looks her up and down like she's trying to decide what to think of her. She finally smiles, and Atelier braces herself.

"Nice dress, Rosche," she comments. Her friends turn to look before flashing approving glances. "Looking good."

Atelier lets out a long breath she doesn't realize she has been holding. They got her name right this time. And they like her dress! She smiles back, standing a little straighter.

"Come sit with us!"

"Really?"

They burst into a hearty laugh. She hopes they aren't about to follow up with a 'you wish!' but they don't. "Of course," another girl says. She waves to someone behind Atelier. "Jungkook! You sure know how to pick a date."

Atelier blushes, which makes them laugh again. Jungkook appears beside her with a proud smile, and two very full plates of food. He sets them down on the table before pulling out a chair for her. The others go back to their conversation.

She's fixated on the food as she takes a seat. This would feed her whole family for two days at least, and Kenton  _is_  a big eater.

"I can't possibly finish all of this," she breathes.

"Of course you can. You must. They're divine. Like little bite-sized pieces of heaven."

She giggles. It sounds unfamiliar and rather weird. She can't remember the last time she giggled, but being around Jungkook – she doesn't really feel like her usual self. It's not a bad thing.

She watches as he picks up a prawn roll and pops it into his mouth. "Hey, Jungkook?" He turns to her looking self-conscious, as if he's embarrassed she catches him eating.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

He swallows, cocks his head to one side. "What for?"

"For everything."

For a brief moment, there's this  _look_  that crosses his face. It fades away quickly, and he hides whatever it is well with a sweet smile. He reaches over for her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. Their gaze locks for what seems to Atelier like forever – which is fine by her – and then he breaks into a chuckle and returns to the food.

"You're not going to make me eat all of this alone, are you?"

\---

"Would you like to dance?"

Atelier looks at Jungkook with wide eyes. "I can't dance," she admits. She envies the ones who can – those who have been showing off on the dance floor, gliding through and across to the beautiful orchestra music. He must have caught her watching them.

"You can learn," he tells her. "I'll teach you." He's already standing up and extending an arm to her.

She panics again. "Um..."

"It'll be fine," he assures her as he leads her to the centre of the ballroom. He guides her hand to his shoulder and gently places one hand on her waist. She can feel her nerves tingling, sending pulses to her heart and lungs to  _keep breathing_  because she is afraid she might collapse.

Jungkook is a good dancer, and a very patient teacher. To be fair, they're just sort of waddling side to side slowly to the music, standing awfully close to each other – so close she can feel his breath, not that she minds, and he doesn't seem to mind it either.

Once in a while, she'd step on his shoes and break away with a string of apologies, but he'd just laugh it off before telling her that it's fine, because she's doing great.

Everything feels just perfect. She will remember this night forever, though it makes her a bit sad that she may never see him again.

"Is something wrong?"

She looks up, then shakes her head. "No. Just thinking."

"About what?" he asks, curious.

"The future." She almost said ' _our_  future', and would have bitten her tongue clean off. "I'm... still not sure where I'll go from here." That's a lie. She knows she'll go back to slumming in Morheim. It scares her, but not as much as the uncertainty does. Where's her life heading to, really? Dr Winston's words play in her mind –  _somewhere out there, there's something only you can do_.

She wishes she knows what that is.

Jungkook is looking at her intently, his expression unreadable.

"Don't you ever wonder about your future?" she asks.

He smiles again, but this time, it carries a hint of sadness. It disappears quickly; the sadness, not the smile. "Not really. I try not to worry and just live in the moment," he answers.

Perhaps she should to. Tonight won't last forever.

She is about to say something when it catches her eye; the three soldiers marching into the ballroom. Her paces come to a standstill and she stares at them, a sudden, irrational fear creeping into her heart.

"Primarch Lee must be arriving soon," Jungkook says.

"The Primarch is attending?" Her voice is shaky.

"Yeah, because of Soo Young, of course."

Right. Soo Young, The Primarch's daughter.  _She's_  nowhere to be seen, and Atelier doesn't think that's a good thing at all. Suddenly, she doesn't feel so safe. The voice in the back of mind is yelling at her to leave.

 _No!_  Why should she leave? She won't. This is her night. She won't let Soo Young ruin it.

Still, something feels off...

"Are you alright, Atelier?" Jungkook asks. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," she heaves, but she is pulling away from him. "I will be. I just need to – excuse me for a moment."

Before he can respond, she hurries away, out the door. She heads to the washroom, where, unknown to her, a threat is waiting.

But one never knows they're in danger until it's too late. Atelier won't be an exception to the rule.

 


	6. 1 | Six

\---

"Hngh!"

"Tao!"

The guardians surround their collapsed comrade. Tao is on his knees; one hand covering his eyes, the other shaped in a fist and pressed hard against the ground. Lucem gets down next to him and allows him to recompose himself before demanding to know what he saw.

"A crowd. Screaming, running," Tao says in between heavy breaths.

"And the sorceress? Where is she? Is she okay?" another guardian asks.

"I don't know. I don't see her, but she's there. I feel her presence, her fear. She's with them." Tao looks to Lucem, his features forming a mask of fear. "She's in trouble. She  _will_  be in trouble. I don't know where she is."

Someone curses. The same guardian punches the tree next to him. "How much time do we have?" It's pointless to ask. Seers see what will happen but never knows when it will take place. All that matters now is that they hurry.

Lucem bites his lip and hesitantly reaches forward. He stops. "Do you mind?" Tao shakes his head, and Lucem presses his palm over the younger's forehead.

Immediately, the images flood his mind. He sees a grand hall in chaos. People in fear. The earth splitting. She is nowhere to be seen, but he sees something else. A broken statue, a name plate.

Jeron Vidar.

He knows where she is.

\---

Atelier splashes water onto her face with shaky hands.

She remembers smiling and dancing just a while ago. Everything was fine! It was all going so well, and then it happened – as though something in her mind just snaps and leaves her feeling unsettled. Something she isn't able to pinpoint.

She almost cries looking at her reflection. She looks so frightened. She can't stop trembling.

Jungkook is waiting for her. She has to go back.

Very quickly, she rips off a piece of paper towel from the dispenser on the wall and pats her face dry, just as the door swings open and a slender figure steps in.

"Well, don't you look pretty today."

Atelier feels the fear when she sees Song Jin standing there by the door – the exit – with a smug expression on her face. She tries to slip past her, but Song Jin won't allow it.

"Did you not hear me talking to you?"

"I need to go. Please, you're blocking the way."

"I suppose you're in a hurry to go back for the last dance?" Song Jin smiles, but it is dry and sinister. She shakes her head slowly. "I don't know what Jungkook sees in you. He probably confused pity for love, and  _you_  confused his kindness for love."

Atelier grits her teeth, fists clenched tightly. " _Please_. Excuse me."

"Once he sees Soo Young, he'll realize what a big mistake he made, roach. Maybe you'll see yours too."

She doesn't want to listen anymore. "Get out of my way."

Song Jin narrows her eyes. "Did you forget who you are speaking to? Rephrase that. I might consider letting you go."

 _I'm sorry, please let me pass_. The words rise to her lips, but Atelier bites them off. "No," she says. "I don't want to."

She watches as Song Jin's face contort with anger, and secretly feels a sense of defiant excitement, but it only lasts for a second. "It looks like Jungkook won't be able to dance with you,  _Atelier_.  _You_  won't be available."

As the two guys barge in and grab her arms, Atelier realizes too late that she's in trouble. Song Jin smirks and opens the door to the supply closet, and Atelier, despite struggling as much as she can manage, is whirled into it headfirst. She strikes the wall and falls onto the floor as the door slams shut and the key turns in the lock.

"Let me go! Open the door!" she yells, pounding her fists on the door. "Please!"

"Please? A little too late for that now, isn't it?" The light bulb goes off in a click, plunging the tiny room into complete darkness.

"Let me out!"

But Song Jin just laughs, drowning out her helpless screams. "Save it. No one can hear you. I'm sure one of the janitors will find you. In two hours."

"No, no,  _no_!!"

They leave, the footsteps getting softer and more distant until she can no longer hear them. She doesn't stop shouting. Someone  _must_  hear her. Someone  _must_  help. The darkness is suffocating. She's going crazy.

Her head hurts. A disconnected voice haunts her, triggering a flood of images. She is wrong to think nightmares only come when she is asleep.

She remembers now – what happens when she opens the door. Happen _ed_. She wishes she doesn't.

She screams again, clutching both sides of her head, begging for the memory to go away.

Brightness fills the room once more. The door is knocked off its hinges. And her hands, they remain where they were a second ago, on her head.

\---

"Jungkook."

He spins around, his gaze lands on Soo Young. She is wearing a figure-hugging, gold-sequined dress. Her friends were right; she looks absolutely stunning.

"Hi, Soo Young," he says flatly. He eyes the door, wondering if Atelier is okay. She has been gone for a while. He curses himself for not going after her, but she will be alright, won't she?

"Want to dance?" Soo Young asks, twirling one strand of dark brown hair around her fingers. "The next song's starting soon."

"No. I'm waiting for someone."

Her expression darkens. "My father is sitting up there, Jungkook. He's watching. Now, let's dance," she hisses.

Jungkook shoots a glance at the raised platform where Primarch Lee is sitting with the dean. Before he can react, Soo Young has dragged him off to the dance floor, out in the open, in full view of the Primarch. He has no choice.

"Just one song," he says. Atelier will be back soon. He wants to have the last dance with her.

"Quit glancing around, Jungkook. Look at me."

He unwillingly does so.

"You do know of the arrangements, don't you? Yet here you are, on a date with some other girl when you're  _mine_."

He stops dancing and stands still glaring at her. "I'm not, Soo Young."

"By the Primarch's decree, you  _are_ ," she reminds him. "I'm already being very generous, not telling Father about your little date with the Morheim roach, and all that mushy stuff between the two of you. He won't be so forgiving when he finds out."

"Maybe I don't care if he does."

"Are you crazy, Jungkook? He'll have you purged."

She's right, and Atelier won't have it any better, but Jungkook is sick of it. He is sick of living for others. "I'd sooner get purged than be forced into marriage with someone I don't love."

Soo Young's face crumples with sadness. It makes him want to apologize, but he doesn't. He looks away. She sniffles. "Do you hate me that much?"

"I don't hate you, but that doesn't mean I love you. I'm sorry, Soo Young. I can't give you my all and it just won't be fair to you. For either of us."

"Rubbish! It's because of that girl, isn't it?"

"No."

"Ah, of course it isn't. You don't love her. This whole thing is just for show. You've never cared about what happens to her, and now you suddenly want to be a hero to come to the aid of a damsel in distress?"

Jungkook feels stung. He wishes Soo Young would stop pushing him. In all honesty, he is still uncomfortable about his own motives and is too afraid to examine them. Is he being selfish to involve Atelier? No... He only wanted to make it up to her for all the torment she has gone through. He has been telling himself that, like if he does it enough times he'll believe it.

And he does like her. He just doesn't know if he love her.

He sees the Primarch watching and promptly grabs Soo Young's hands. "Your father is watching. Keep it down."

She cocks her head coyly and smiles. "I know you care. You're just too shy to admit it."

Jungkook sighs, frustrated. "You just don't understand, do you?"

"No, it is  _you_  who don't understand, Jungkook," Soo Young says, tilting her head up and caressing his face with her fingertips. "I always get what I want. Always."

And she kisses him.

Just as the door opens.

He pushes her away and steps back, but he is too slow. She saw it. Atelier saw everything.

\---

Everything inside Atelier collapses just then; her lungs, her rib cage, her  _heart_. She can't breathe. She feels dizzy.

It is all a lie.

Sadness comes first, then anger. Anger at herself, as always, when she realizes how foolish she has been to believe that the date means anything at all. Of course it doesn't. Of course Jungkook doesn't like her that way. He just feels sorry for her and tries to be kind, and she has gone and taken it the wrong way.

But this – how cruel he must be to shove it in her face so soon, before the night is even over.

Her heart shatters like the rest of her world. She turns the other way and starts to leave. He calls out to her, pleading her to wait, but she doesn't listen and she doesn't stop, not until she hears the other voice.

"Soo Young, isn't that your dress?"

Atelier freezes.  _Her_  dress? Soo Young's dress...?

"Wow, yes.  _Yes_  it is! Oh my, I couldn't even recognize it. I thought I threw it away." Soo Young's voice is loud and clear and rings throughout the ballroom. The music has long died down. Everyone can hear her, and maybe, that is her intention all along. For them to hear just what a loser Atelier is for not being able to afford her own dress for her own graduation, and has to resort to hand-me-downs.

The Elites  _never_  take hand-me-downs. Those are for the lesser people of Ishalgen.

"She must have dug through my trash or something."

Atelier glares at her. She would have jumped on her and hit her if there weren't any soldiers around to protect her. She sees it now; the dress, a mere prop for the big show. Soo Young  _wants_  Atelier to come to the ball. She  _needs_  her to be here to see for herself what a tool she is for trusting an Elite and falling into the trap. She will never let her live this down.

"Stop it, Soo Young."

But Jungkook? Is he in on the joke too?

The whispering begins, but laughter doesn't follow. It's as though the others don't quite know how to respond. As though they  _don't_  want to respond.

Atelier's blood boils. They have never spared her before. Why now? She doesn't need their sympathy.

"I won't. You forced me to do this, Jungkook. If only you're not so keen on becoming a hero –"

She blocks it all out. The room has started to spin around her. Energy returns to her feet and they carry her towards the door. Anger compounds within her and she clutches herself tightly, afraid that if she doesn't keep it together, she will explode and unleash destruction and chaos upon the world that has never been accepting of her.

 _They deserve it_.

She keeps walking.

"Atelier, please. Listen to me."

He touches her shoulder –  _just one touch_  – and she pushes him away –  _and the bomb will go off_.

"Leave me alone!"

And the ground splits open.

 


	7. 1 | Seven

\---

Atelier watches as a deep, terrifying crack runs across the beautiful marble floor. The ground beneath her shifts with devastating magnitude as the fissure grows wider, like the mouth of a menacing beast.

Jungkook stumbles backwards, as does she. She sees the Primarch and his daughter being whisked away, people screaming and cowering. The tremor seems to last forever, but had it been just an earthquake, it would be okay.

It isn't.

A pair of horns emerge from the crevice. The creature digs its claws into the surface and hauls itself into the open. A giant canine-esque beast, it stretches, as if striking a pose, and releases a mighty roar that terrorizes the stunned party-goers.

Immediately, the screams continue. Bodies are shoved towards the door in a desperate attempt to escape, but it is as though the beast knows what they are doing  _and_  what it can do to stop them. With a force that seems out of this world, it stomps the ground, sending a shockwave throughout the building. The ground outside breaks in such an unnatural way that it is near impossible to cross to the other side, leaving them stranded. Those who are lucky to make it out alive run ahead with no intention of turning back.

The soldiers fight the beast, but it proves to be futile as their weapons are merely ant stings against the creature's thick hide. Reinforcements are requested, but how can they last until then?

Atelier is crumpled on the floor as the havoc unfolds. She knows she should run and hide somewhere, but her limbs are paralyzed and she is unable to move at all. She can't think, can't act. She hopes this is one of her nightmares, and that there isn't actually a monster tearing through her school on what is the most important day of her life so far.

The beast easily overwhelms the soldiers and turns to attack the students. Atelier's eyes dart around, and much to her horror, she sees Jungkook among the crowd, with no apparent way of escape as the beast swipes at them with its sharp claws.

She doesn't know what comes over her, but she hears herself yelling his name, and without any hesitation, she runs between him and the monster. The vicious jaws snap just inches from her face, with a force that could have shredded her cheek had they met, or straight up beheaded her.

She shields him with her arms, as if that would help at all against the wrath of the monster. But at least, she thinks, neither of them would have to die alone.

The beast does nothing at first, simply staring at her like it doesn't know what to do with her. Atelier's heart beats wildly in her chest. Behind her, Jungkook clutches her arm and whispers, "What is it doing?"

She doesn't know. Its eyes are fixated on her, and the way it waits – it's waiting for  _her_.

Jungkook takes a step back. The beast growls a warning.

"Don't move," Atelier tells him. It's easy for her, because her feet seem fused to the ground already.

The beast advances, coming to a stop right in front of her. Its breath is hot and sticky, saliva dripping down its jaws. Atelier wills herself to stay still.

Somewhere out there, a shout rings throughout the now silent ballroom. "Jungkook! Jungkook, are you in there? He must be in there, you need to go get him!"  _Soo Young_.

Something snaps in her then. Fury grows, and it's as though the beast felt it. Throwing its head back in a mighty roar, it prepares to attack again. This time, Atelier is standing right in the middle of it.

"Watch out!" A voice cries out just as a translucent dome materializes in front of her, like a shield of some sort, blocking the impact from the jump. The creature hits the dome and is thrown backwards, landing on its sides with a huge thud.

Atelier lets out a sharp breath. She feels a gentle, firm grip on her arm and looks up to see a man she has never seen before. Yet, he radiates familiarity. Despite everything else that is happening, yelling in her face that she is in danger, his smile tells her otherwise. It tells her that she is going to be fine, that he will protect her.

"Let's get you to safety, your highness," he says. She is too dazed to ask questions. It isn't the time for questions, anyway. The beast stands undefeated – it is literally  _standing_ , on its hind legs, at twice its original stature. The crest from along the top of its head and upper spine is now used like a chainsaw.

With a mighty swing, it breaks a stone column and sends one part of the roof crashing down. Atelier coughs as the dust coats her throat and stings her eyes. In spite of her blurry vision, she sees broken structures and debris flying towards them at high velocity, but they stop mid-air before swerving to the side and hitting the wall at far end, crumbling into smaller pieces.

It is enough of a distraction, and the man almost doesn't see the beast's giant sword that comes crashing down. It would have sliced them open, if not for a second man stepping in and blocking the attack with his own arms that appear to be encased in crystal. Except it  _isn't_ crystal – it is ice. The casing shatters quietly and drops onto the ground in tiny, harmless shards.

"I'd expect you to be more alert, you know?"

The man ignores him and turns to Atelier. "Don't go anywhere, okay? Stay here. We'll be back to get you."

Not like she has a better option. She stays and cowers with Jungkook. They gasp as the ground once again shifts beneath them, but this time, there is nothing really dangerous about it. A giant slab of rock ascends and stands firmly before them like a protective wall.

Atelier moves away and tries to peek from behind it, but Jungkook tugs at her hand and stops her with a pleading look.

"You heard him. He told us to stay."

"I'm not going anywhere, Jungkook," she assures him. A look flashes across his face for a split second before she can read it, and then he lets go of her.

Her heart races as she witnesses the great battle between the men and the beast. Swift and agile, they clearly know what they are doing, as if facing angry creatures like this is part of their everyday lives, and perhaps it is. No one said they or the beast are from this world. In fact, Atelier is pretty sure they come from another world, which both terrifies and excites her.

The beast is getting tired, but it will not go down without a fight. As debris is hurled from one end of the room to the other, it takes another swing with its crest-sword and slams into the arch above Atelier.

It trembles violently and she knows it will collapse at any moment. And it does, but a sudden black portal opens up and seems to have sucked in the stones, or rather,  _teleported_  them somewhere else. Atelier glances at the man responsible for it and feels a sense of awe and admiration with a touch of gratitude.

A sharp cry from the beast indicates that it is on the verge of defeat. Now back on all fours again, it crawls away from the fighters, ready to surrender, but it isn't good enough for them. The man who blocked the attacked with his ice-encased arms earlier takes the opportunity to jump onto the beast's back. It growls and attempts to shake him off, but it is ineffective. Swiftly, the blades plunge into its neck and take away its last breath. After one final roar, the struggling stops, and it falls, lifelessly, onto the ground.

For the first minute, no one dares to leave their hiding places. It isn't until one of the men confirms that the beast is indeed dead that people start emerging with caution. Atelier turns to ask if Jungkook is alright, but he is nowhere to be seen. Panic rises to her throat.

The four mysterious men dash over and immediately begin fussing over her. "Are you okay, your highness? You're not hurt, are you?" one asks, dismissing the rock slab with a wave of his arm.

Atelier looks towards the door, where soldiers have begun evacuating the students. Maybe, maybe they got Jungkook already, she thinks. He should be okay.

"Your highness?"

She turns to them, lets them help her up. She has so many questions, but she can't find her voice to ask any. She just looks at them, hoping that they will explain themselves.

"You!" somebody calls out in a harsh tone. It's a soldier, and he's pointing a gun in their direction.  _Her_  direction. Several more are behind him, all armed. Ready to fire. "Drop your weapons."

"We mean no harm."

"Put your hands behind your head!" the soldier barks. His own weapon is trembling in his hands. He's afraid. Afraid of these men.

They do as they are told, but Atelier is still in a daze. As the soldiers inch closer, she stares at them with a strange, uncomfortable feeling that she doesn't quite know how to describe. It may have been fear; that would explain the cold sweat and the sudden weakness that is returning to her limbs, but it wouldn't explain the pain in the back of her head when he grabs her arm forcefully.

Her saviour hisses a warning and pushes the soldier away. "Don't touch her."

The familiarity of it slams into her like a runaway locomotive. The pain begins to grow.

"Hey! Hands up. You're coming with us. All of you."

 _Growing_ –

"Take your hands off her if you want to keep them."

–  _And growing_  –

"Don't try our patience."

"Nice gun."

"Don't play any games. Do as you're told and no one gets hurt."

–  _Until_  –

"Your highness?"

The room spins and then goes pitch black.


	8. 1 | Eight

\---

Someone is humming. It is a nice, gentle song. She likes it. Slowly, she gets up from the spot by the fireplace where she has fallen asleep, and turns to look at the beautiful lady sitting on the sofa. The light from the fire gives her a warm glow. She smiles at the little girl.  _Her_  little girl.

"Mummy? What are you doing?" the girl asks, teetering to her mother while still groggy from sleep. She rubs her eyes.

"I'm making paper stars, darling," her mother says, her voice as calming as ever. She always sounds like she should be singing lullabies. The little girl believes her to be the best singer in the world.

Her gaze falls on the stars in the jar on her mother's lap. They shine just like real stars do. It must be her mother's magic. "What are they for?"

"Wishes. If you make a wish and fold a paper star, it will come true."

She believes that. If her mother says it, it must be true. "Really? What did you wish for?"

Her mother finishes one more star and drops it into the jar. She smiles, but her lips are shaky. "For Daddy to be safe. For us to stay together always. For you to grow up well." She ruffles the girl's hair. "You're going to be someone important one day."

"Someone... important?" she repeats after her, confused.

She watches as her mother nods, the smile never leaving her face. She caresses the little girl's face. She remembers the feel of her mother's soft hands on her cheek. "One day, you'll have to make decisions. I pray that you have the wisdom to know the right ones, and the strength to make them."

"I don't understand, mummy." She really doesn't. She wishes she does, though. She doesn't want to disappoint.

Her mother pulls away and reaches for another strip of paper. She fiddles with it. "You will. In time. Don't you worry your pretty little mind for now, my dear. Come, would you like to learn how to fold these?"

"I'd love to, mummy." She wants to make wishes too. She takes a seat by the sofa and studies her mother's hands as they delicately fold the paper into a star. She makes it look so easy.

Her mother starts to hum again. Listening to it makes her sleepy, but she's determined to stay awake until she masters the art of making paper stars. Yet, try as she does, she can't get it right. She glances up to her mother.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I love you."

Her mother's hands pause. Her expression hardens for a brief moment before it returns to her usual, gentle face. There is something she wishes to tell her daughter, but she can never find the words, and she does worry if she will ever get to explain it to her at all.

The little girl doesn't understand now, but her mother hopes she will.

"I love you too, my dear. So does Daddy. You're our little  _star_. Never forget that, okay?"

 _Never_.

\---

Atelier awakes to the sound of water dripping. It is constant, and it is irritating. She looks at the sink in the corner of the room, almost glares at it.

The dripping stops.

Her eyes widen and she jolts up from the bed. This isn't her room.

She looks around in a panic. She isn't claustrophobic, but this small space makes her feel fear. It creeps through her heart and rises up to her throat, depriving her of air. She is in some sort of holding cell, she is sure of it. Everything in here – from the white mattress she is sitting on to the giant metal door with a bolt – screams Pandemonium prison, and Atelier knows she is in trouble.

Did they lock her up because of what happened yesterday? Did they go after her family too?

Tears brim her eyes. If only she had stayed home instead of going to the ball. If only she didn't try to fit in where she clearly doesn't belong. Everything would have been fine.

Her beautiful dress – no,  _Soo Young's_  beautiful dress – is now dirty and stained, a reminder of her heartbreak from the night before. She covers her face and weeps into her palms, feeling sorry for herself.

She can almost hear Mother's voice calling out to her, assuring her it is okay, but how can she believe that?

But – there really  _is_  a voice. She hears it, faintly at first, but gradually loud and clear enough that it's as if the speaker is right in the room with her.

_Your highness?_

She jumps. The voice is familiar; one she is not ready to hear.

"Hello?" Meekly, she stands and walks to the door. "Is someone out there?"

_Your highness! I'm so glad that you are okay._

She spins around, sure that she heard someone beside her, but there is nobody in the room other than herself. She hopes she isn't going crazy.

_Please calm down. I won't hurt you. I'm here to help._

Atelier touches the wall and presses her ear against it. She hears a loud thump, followed by a set of steady footsteps approaching her door from the other side. Frightened, she scrambles back to the bed where she woke from and stares at the door. The bolt lifts and then releases, unlocking. She swallows, holding her breath as the door swings open slowly to reveal a tall man dressed in white and gold. He looks regal. She recognizes him as one of the men who saved her.

"It's you," she breathes, as if she knows who he is.

He steps into the room and immediately, he is just an arm's reach away from her. The room isn't very spacious at all, not that she'd expect a prison to be luxurious.

He bows and stays in that position for a few seconds. When he looks up again, he is wearing a warm smile. "You're alright. I am very glad."

"Where am I?" she asks, eyeing him suspiciously. "How did you get in here? You're not a soldier."

"Don't concern yourself with that for now, your highness. I'll get you out of this place."

She shakes her head. "No." Again he is addressing her like she is royalty, but she isn't, and he needs to know. If anyone hears it, she would be punished severely. "You must be mistaken. I'm not of royal blood."

The man sighs and kneels down before her. She finds herself shrinking away. He notices, and sadness spreads across his face. "I'm sorry. You don't know, do you?"

"Know... what?"

"We've been looking for you, your highness. We waited a long time, but we never gave up. And right as we hoped, you've come back to us. You've returned."

Confusion laces her features. "I – I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can't explain it here, but you must believe me. You're not safe here. Not anymore, after last night. They know you're here now, and we fear they are coming for you," he says, looking grim. "You must follow us back to –"

Her brows rise. "Last night? The monster?"

"The Behemoth," he tells her. "We believe the beast sensed your presence and came for you."

Atelier feels her lips tremble. "You mean, it  _is_  because of me?"

He nods once, then speaks again. "Yes, but you're not to be blamed. If only we got to you sooner –"

She isn't listening. "But why me? What – what did I do? I didn't do anything. I would never hurt anyone." Her vision blurs, yet the images from the incident the night of the ball are clear and vivid, as though she is still there. Trapped, watching the scared faces and hearing the screams. She remembers feeling angry, betrayed, but she would never –

The man reaches forward and touches her arm. "I believe you. I will get you out of here. Don't worry."

"I've got to go back. To my family. I have to – I have to make sure they are okay." She sobs, realizing that she may already be too late. The soldiers would have taken them by now, if they want to, and they definitely would want to, if they know she is responsible for what happened. Not that she knows how or why she is involved.

"We need to return to Exotreia, your highness," the man says after looking out the door, like he is expecting soldiers to charge in at any moment. "There isn't enough time. We can't delay much longer."

"No! I have to go home!"

"Your highness –"

"You don't understand. The soldiers will take my family if –"

"They'll be okay, but you need to be safe, first and foremost."

"I can't let anything happen to them because of me."

"Please, your highness. Calm down –"

She wrenches her hand away. " _I can't!_ "

She hasn't realized then, how upset and agitated she has become. Or how the room has started to tremor violently like an earthquake. Like last night. Like the day the mirrors in the washroom shattered.

Atelier knows now it isn't earthquake.

She can't describe this feeling. She just wants to grab something and hurl it across the room. The door slams shut and the bolt clicks in place before the metal bends and almost... crumples. She stares at it, breathing hard and fast.

 _She did that_.

"No..." She shakes her head and wraps her arms around herself. Even in the small space, she feels tiny. Helpless. "I'm sorry. I – is there something wrong with me?"

The man doesn't look the least bit bothered by what just happened. He turns to the door, and as if by magic, the metal straightens and the bolt releases again. The door creaks open just a slight.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you."

Her hands fall to her sides as she gathers herself. "Who are you?"

"My name is Lucem Hanedir. I'm an Empyrean Guardian from Exotreia," he says. "And you, you're our sorceress, your highness."


	9. 1 | Nine

\---

Atelier shakes her head again. "I don't understand."

"You will, soon enough." He stands up and offers a hand to her. "I'll explain as we're on our way back."

"Can I please go back to my family first?" she pleads with him. "I just need to make sure they're okay."

Lucem thinks for a second, then two, and three. At the fourth second, he relents and nods, albeit rather reluctantly. "If it will ease your mind, yes, your highness."

"Thank you."

He explains that his comrades are waiting outside. "Now come, we must not waste any more time. Follow me closely, okay? And stay calm."

Atelier follows him out the door but stops when she sees the guard slumped on the floor, motionless. She stares at Lucem. "Is he dead? Did you kill him?"

Lucem barely spares the body half a glance. "No, he's only... sleeping. Don't worry. Let's go."

"We can't just walk out like this. There will be guards everywhere."

"I can take care of it. Just be sure to stay close to me, and be calm. Whatever happens, whatever you see, don't panic." He looks into her eyes. "Everything will be fine. I promise."

She will believe him.

As they walk through the hallway, she keeps glancing around nervously, expecting armed guards to jump at them at any moment, but they don't. They come to a heavily armoured door. There is a scanner-type device next to it.

The door opens without them doing anything. At least, Atelier didn't do anything. Lucem must have.

They continue onwards until another such door. This time, Lucem pulls her to the side. "Don't make a sound," he tells her. "Stay behind me, and keep calm."

A mechanical beep prefaces the indicator on the scanner turning green. The door opens and there stands a soldier on the other side. Atelier nearly screams, but manages to stop herself in time.

The soldier steps through and goes on his way, as though he doesn't see them. Atelier eyes him until he disappears down another hallway, and then reminds herself to breathe again.

Finally, they arrive in what seems to be the centre of the facility. There are soldiers everywhere; some patrolling, some standing guard by locked doors, some sitting at computers behind glass walls. Atelier is beginning to panic again, but Lucem gives her hand a squeeze to reassure her that he has everything under control.

"Remember what I said about staying calm?" he whispers to her. She nods. "It's very important, okay?"

Lucem walks slowly – almost too slow, in Atelier's opinion, for someone who is supposed to be escaping prison. She has to adjust her own pace a few time because she is almost quicker than him. Her heart is pumping fast, but there isn't a reason for her to be worried. No one pays them any attention, and Lucem appears to know the layout of the building well.

Then they pass by a laboratory, and Atelier makes a mistake of looking through the window, because what she sees threatens her calm composition.

It is the monstrosity from the night before – the Behemoth. She can't believe the soldiers brought it back. It looks menacing and dangerous, even when it's dead.

"Your highness?"

"Yes."

"When the next door opens, we are going as fast as we can to the other side. Kai and Chanjyushir are waiting for us," Lucem says, nodding in the direction of the reinforced metal door. "We're almost there. Everything is going to be fine."

Atelier turns away from the Behemoth and nods stiffly.

A short while later, the door beeps and opens, but the person standing behind it is not someone she has been expecting. The moment she sees Soo Young – still in her gold dress – Atelier gives a sharp gasp and flinches. Lucem feels the shift and squeezes her hand, but it doesn't do much this time.

The Primarch's daughter doesn't see them, and continues to speak to the soldiers next to her in a very impatient manner.

"Why the hell are you people still keeping her here for? Send her to the purge. Do you think she hasn't done enough damage, and now you want her to destroy the military base?"

"But, the Primarch says –"

"The purge is made for people like her. I don't know what my father is thinking sometimes. I'm going to talk to him, and you're going to help me convince him. Understand?"

"Yes, Miss Soo Young. We have her under observation. So far, she hasn't shown any signs of –"

"My God, are you  _waiting_  for her to lose her mind again? Last night isn't enough?"

"That's not –"

"Enough. Send her to the purge immediately. I do not want her kind – whatever she is – in our nation."

Soo Young doesn't stop talking, but Atelier has heard enough. She seethes in anger, pure and raw. She has realized during the final days of school, that the fear she would feel whenever Soo Young is around has slowly been replaced by something else. And that something else is fury. It spikes all over the place, uncontrolled, and just like that, Lucem's concentration is cut off. Atelier feels it, like a broken string, and before she knows it, Soo Young is staring straight at her.

She sees them both. Confusion momentarily contorts her face, before it is replaced by shock. "How did you –"

Havoc stirs in the laboratory next to them. No one but Lucem notices. It is too late.

The glass window shatters, and Lucem throws himself in front of Atelier to shield her from the shards. The Behemoth emerges, not at all dead. It is  _very_  alive, but  _they_  may not be for long.

With a thundering roar, it leaps into the centre court of the building, provoking a series of shouts and shrieks. Its purple hide glows with hints of red, and the gleam in its eyes is dangerous. The soldiers immediately take their positions, while Lucem drags Atelier away from the battleground and pushes her through the door.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to –" she begins, but he cuts her off.

"Go, your highness. I'll be right with you."

Atelier cowers in the corner, terrified. She has done it again. She got angry and couldn't repress it. She doesn't understand why, but the Behemoth can sense her emotions. Her fury has given it life once more, and it is stronger than ever.

She wishes she can do something to help, but even if she manages to overcome the fear that is chaining her feet firmly to the ground, there isn't anything she can do. Even the soldiers are having a hard time with the Behemoth, and it looks like pretty soon, Lucem is going to reach his limit too.

Whatever he did earlier to keep them hidden from the soldiers renders him weak and exhausted now. He sees the Behemoth's tail swiping the air and promptly dodges, but he doesn't see the boulder flying towards him. Atelier does. She shouts, "Look out!"

The boulder bursts into flames after it is shot down by a ball of fire. Two other men – dressed like Lucem – dashes past Atelier to join the battlefield. One of them, the one with copper hair, greets her with a quick smile.

Lucem dodges the broken rubble and nods as a sign of thanks to his comrades. The three of them fight with much vigour, and quickly prove to be difficult opponents for the Behemoth, but it is not ready to surrender.

The building is nearly falling apart from the battle, but Atelier is safe where she is. She hears a scream – completely human – among the Behemoth's roars and growls, and knows Soo Young is in trouble. Right she is.

Across the ground from where she is, Soo Young is hanging off the edge, one hand holding onto the broken metal railing for dear life.

They are on the seventh floor.

"Help me, please!" she shrieks. Atelier stiffens. She could help; she could run and reach out to pull Soo Young before it is too late, but she is still thinking, as though saving a life requires so much contemplation.

A figure appears next to her, and Atelier briefly exchanges glances with him, but before either can say a word, he is already darting past her and towards Soo Young, just as the Behemoth decides to swing its tail wildly in the air, launching boney spikes in all directions. One heads straight towards Jungkook.

"No! Watch out!"

Atelier springs to her feet and pushes him out of harm's way, rendering herself defenceless in the process. She cries in agony as a sharp pain burns into her back, and then she falls. Someone calls her name and says something, but the pain is too excruciating, it completely blocks out everything else. There is a mad throbbing in her ears, as though she is hearing the flow of blood in her veins. Her vision becomes blurred with speckles of crimson. It alternates between darkness. And blood. Darkness. Blood.

There is a loud explosion followed by a blinding burst of light. A pair of protective arms envelop her, and she sees Lucem's deep brown eyes looking into hers. "Your highness! Please, stay with me."

"Get out of the way!" someone shouts, shortly before the sharp screech of a bird-like creature echoes. The whole building goes up in flames, and the heat is almost searing to the skin.

So many screams. She can only make out a few.

"Go, Kai! Now!"

"No! You have to save her! Please."

"Let go, or you'll die!"

One final burst of light takes all of them, right as the building comes crashing down in a heap of flaming rubble and debris. In her sub-conscious, Atelier hears a faint murmur in the voice of a man she never knew.

_You must go. Please. Save yourself._

Perhaps it is yet another dream. Or perhaps it's a fragment of a shattered memory. She doesn't know. She doesn't stay awake enough to find out.

All she knows is that she's sorry.


	10. 1 | Ten

\---

Atelier wakes in her room. She recognizes the crack in the ceiling and knows right away she is home.

Her head feels heavy and she can't really organize her thoughts. Her gaze floats to the window and she sees her jar of stars, Lucy's gold one glistening in the sunlight. She struggles to sit up, feeling disoriented still but rather pain-free, and it's strange.

The blanket falls to reveal that she is not wearing the white dress, but instead, a plain brown shirt she normally wears at home. Perhaps it is all just a nightmare after all. Perhaps she was so tired she slept through the weekend and didn't actually attend the ball and –

The door creaks open. Her heart sinks when she sees who it is.

"You're awake, your highness," the man – Lucem is his name, isn't it? – says. His smile bears relief. "We were worried. Do you still hurt?"

Atelier doesn't answer him. She looks down and shuts her eyes, as if she can will him to disappear; disappear along with the horrible truth that she is very much in trouble. She sighs, shakily. "It's all real, isn't it?"

Lucem seems to understand how she is feeling, or maybe she is just hoping someone will. She shrinks away when he reaches for her arm. There is a weird kind of familiarity in his touch, and the warmth is rather reassuring, but they are strangers still, and she doesn't know whether to trust him. Trust has left her heartbroken just days before.

"Your highness, you do not have to worry," Lucem says. "We are here for you, and we will keep you safe."

Safe.  _Her family!_  She springs to life and bolts out of bed, but doesn't even make it past Lucem before a concentrated pain in her back renders her limp and brings her to her knees. It dissipates as suddenly as it comes.

Lucem helps her up. "Please, be careful. You were hurt badly."

She has forgotten about that. Reaching over, she feels the bandage with her fingers and winces. Her wound is a little sore, though miraculously so. By right, she shouldn't even be alive right now. The attack must have punctured her lungs or something, and she's no doctor, but she knows she couldn't have survived that.

"Lay tried his best, but there's only so much he can do with the scarce Aether," Lucem explains. Atelier takes it this Lay is some kind of super healer.

"I think I'll be fine," she tells him as she reluctantly climbs back into the bed. "My family. Are they...?"

"Safe. Yes. The guardians are keeping watch."

She heaves a sigh, leans back into her pillow. "Thank you. Really, thank you. You saved me."

Lucem doesn't look very proud of himself, however. "If I had been more vigilant and capable, you wouldn't be hurt. I'm very sorry, your highness."

Atelier is usually the one issuing apologies and is hardly ever on the receiving end of them. It makes her quite uneasy that he's saying sorry to her. He shouldn't have to, and if anything, she should – again – be the one apologizing. "If it weren't because of me, we would have escaped easily, wouldn't we?"

His face falls, and for a moment, it looks like he is about to agree with her. She knows he won't admit it to her, though. "We did get out, and you're safe now. That's all that matters, your highness."

"We won't be safe for long, you know? The soldiers will come for us. They're probably already on the way."

Lucem looks like he's ready to scoff at that, but doesn't. It's true that Ishalgen soldiers hardly pose any threat to him and his comrades. They aren't ordinary humans. "I'm not as worried about the soldiers as I am about... other threats, your highness. However, you are right – we won't be safe here. The Aether in Terra is scarce and makes us weaker. Should the threats present themselves to us, I'm afraid we will fall to them. No, we must return to Exotreia at once." His expression softens when he looks at her. "You do trust me, don't you?"

Atelier doesn't know how to answer that. Truth is, she doesn't trust him yet, but it will seem rude to say so. "We don't really know each other, to be fair."

He sighs, but it isn't in an impatient manner. It's more of desperation. "I'm Lucem Hanedir, the 48th Guardian of Mind. I, along with eleven others, were the Empyrean Guardians who served the Queen before the Great Cataclysm took over and nearly destroyed Exotreia, 200 some years ago. We fell into crystal stasis after our attempt to halt the destruction, after our Queen... disappeared. And now, we return to our calling – to serve you, the 49th sorceress and Queen to Tierra Gloriosa. Do you understand, your highness?"

She blinks. It's a little much to take in all at once. "I'm... the sorceress? But... how? I mean, why me?"

"Goddess Mystel must have seen something in you, your highness."

"I didn't even know there's a world outside of ours. I mean, I have daydreamt about something like that, but it's all just fantasy. I would never have expected it to be reality."

"It's in the Titans' will that Terrans live on in blissful ignorance of the danger beyond their world. It has kept your world safe for many, many centuries."

"Until the night of the ball. Until... me, isn't it?"

Lucem's face crumples with sadness, but he musters a smile. "Yes, your highness."

Atelier takes a deep breath. "Wow. I can't believe this is really happening. Part of me still thinks this is a dream. Or maybe you've made a mistake and I'm just an ordinary Terran girl after all."

"Let me show you." He asks for her hands. Curiously, she lets him hold them. For a moment, nothing happens, then she sees the glow – first faint, then growing brighter. Dark blue and red, the orbs glow in her right forearm.

She gasps, pulling her hand back. The glow fades away; she has seen what she needs to see.

"Mind and Fire," Lucem says. "Your birth elements, your highness. Unlike ordinary Exotreians, who are born with just one, the sorceress is born with two."

"What – what do I do with them?"

"You'll learn to master them, your highness. The sorceress' powers become fully awakened when she turns eighteen, and that is when she receives training to master all twelve elements. Once she does, she will ascend the throne and become the new Queen."

Atelier continues to stare at her arm where the orbs appeared earlier. "Is that what I have to do now?"

"Yes." Lucem nods. "You are extremely important to us, your highness. You are a symbol of hope. The Shadow Army will stop at nothing to destroy every last trace of the Queen, but we won't let that happen. We will protect you. So please, come with us. Come back to Exotreia. We need you now, more than ever."

"I – I just... This is a lot to take in."

"I understand. I don't wish to force this all upon you, but time is not on our side. The longer we stay here, the more exposed to danger you become. We cannot risk it. You understand, don't you?"

"But my family..."

"The only way to keep them safe is to leave them. At least for now."

Atelier sighs again. "Can I speak to them first, please?"

Finally, Lucem looks satisfied, no doubt proud of himself for convincing her at last. "Of course. Should I call them up?"

"No, it's fine. I can walk."

He readies himself by her side while she gets out of bed. She feels underdressed in her ratty shirt and shorts, next to Lucem, who's dressed like royalty of sorts. He looks more like "your highness" that she does.

When he sees that she can walk steadily on her own, he goes ahead and opens the door for her. "By the way," she starts. He looks at her, waiting. "My name is Atelier."

Knowing Lucem, he will probably never address her by her name. Still, he smiles. "That's a beautiful name."

She wants to thank him, but that compliment leaves her feeling nothing but sadness. Jungkook has said the same thing to her, and she remembers that feeling of joy that enveloped her whenever he mentioned her name. She wonders what he thinks of her now, after all that has happened. Would he still say it with a hint of sweetness? Or will it now be accompanied with bitterness and dislike?

Maybe it's a good thing that it's unlikely for her to see him again. She won't know how to face him, not after –

A loud cry interrupts her thoughts. Lucem makes his way ahead and asks that she wait behind, but they both know she won't listen. As she makes her way down the stairs, the din grows louder. She hears Mother's voice amongst the many involved in the exchange, then Lucem's. A couple she doesn't recognize, but the last makes her blood freeze.

Jeon Jungkook is in her house, and he is not happy to see her.

 


	11. 1 | Eleven

\---

"Jungkook...?"

The guardians are all in the room. Two looking out the window, one by the door, two more near the narrow hallway to the kitchen. Lucem is on the floor, next to a grief-stricken boy with messy dark hair.

Atelier hopes that she is mistaken, but she is not.

"Your highness," one of the guardians addresses her, and immediately, they all move away from their positions to kneel in respect, except Lucem, who looks terribly frustrated. He looks even more so when he turns to see Atelier.

She doesn't need superpowers to know what he is thinking. "I know," she says. "I'm sorry." Lucem purses his lips and moves aside so that she is looking straight at Jungkook, and he is looking back at her.

Atelier has never seen Jungkook without his trademark smile. He looks so different now. So defeated, angry. At no one else but her. If he isn't so weak, he would have launched himself at her.

Instead, he stays crumpled on the floor, a look of disappointment in his eyes. It hurts more than any anger, any blame. "You didn't save her."

She wishes she can deny it, but she can't. He is right, she didn't save Soo Young. She never thought she would ever regret that decision, until now.

"There is nothing we could have done," Lucem says, crossing his arms. "The Behemoth is practically invincible with the energy shield."

"So you just let her die without trying to help?" Jungkook shoots back. "Why save  _me_  then? Why not let me die along too?"

The guardian by the window, the one with copper hair, hears him and rolls his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic. She isn't dead."

Another agrees with him. "The Behemoth took her with it before the building collapsed. It's very possible she's still alive."

Atelier doesn't know how to feel about that, but Jungkook's face is already all lit up with newfound hope. "You know where it took her, right? You're going to save her, aren't you?"

The guardians exchange looks among themselves. The copper-haired guardian turns back towards the window. "No," Lucem says, firmly. Not a hint of regret in his voice. Once again, Atelier doesn't know what to feel.

Jungkook stares at him. "No? What do you mean? She's innocent! She doesn't deserve to die like this! You people caused this, you have to take responsibility and bring her back!"

"It's a trap. We're not falling for it," silver-haired guardian says. He turns to Atelier. "The Behemoth's primary target is you, your highness. Everything it does is meant to hurt you. For all we know, it could be using the girl to bait us."

"Our best course of action is to avoid confrontation with the enemies," Lucem continues. "For the time being, at least."

Jungkook throws a fit. Atelier tries to approach him but the guardians hold her back. Angrily, Lucem cuts the boy a piercing glare, and his protests end abruptly when he goes limp and drops onto the floor, unconscious. With that, Lucem stands and walks away, leaving Mother to deal with Jungkook.

"What did you do to him?" Atelier demands.

"He'll be sleeping for quite some time. Don't worry about him."

"Was he telling the truth? That you didn't save Soo Young?"

He seems taken aback by the confrontation, but he recomposes himself quickly. "We were powerless against the Behemoth then, and you were injured, your highness. We didn't think much other than to bring you to safety."

"But you  _would_  have saved her, wouldn't you?"

Lucem hesitates, then looks away. "No, not really. Not when your life is threatened. Our duty is and always will be to protect you. We won't deviate from that."

"She's innocent." She bites her lips. Not really innocent, but she isn't involved in this mess and doesn't deserve to die like this. "I don't want her to suffer. I don't want Jungkook to suffer because of what happens to her, either."

Yes –  _of course_  it is all because of Jungkook that she doesn't want anything to happen to Soo Young. She knows the Primarch's daughter means a lot to him. It is a bond stronger than what he shares with Atelier, something like family. She can understand how he is feeling right now. If this were to happen to her own family, she too would be driven to insanity.

Jungkook has been nothing but kind to her, and this is how she repays him – by taking away someone he loves?

Atelier had a hand in the overnight destruction that happened to Pandemonium. If there's one person she wants more than anything to seek redemption from, it's Jungkook.

So she  _must_  save Soo Young. The guardians need to understand.

"Please, can we at least try to save her?" she pleads.

Lucem looks around, but his comrades avoid his eyes on purpose, preferring to stay out of this decision-making. He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Oh, your highness, alright," he relents. "As you wish. But your safety takes precedence over all else. If it becomes too dangerous and risky for you, we won't go on."

She can work with that. "Thank you." She looks at the unconscious Jungkook, then at Mother, who is next to him.

Atelier knows how important it is to stay safe. Not just for the guardians, but for her family.

Everything she does is always for her family.

\---

Mother has whisked the children into their room after the guardians told her that it's not so safe for them to be playing outside. She doesn't exactly understand what's going on, but she knows Atelier is leaving.

"Mama," Atelier begins, standing at kitchen threshold. She isn't sure how to talk to Mother, and she dreads telling the kids later. She can just up and leave without saying a word, of course. That would be easier, but she won't take the easy way out.

"Yes, Atelier?"

"I... I have to go."

Mother stops ladling porridge into bowls, her hand hovering briefly above the pot before she sets it down and turns to look at her daughter. Wrinkles gather on her face; Atelier hasn't realized how much age has caught up to her.

"I always knew you'd leave home one day to figure out your own life, dear," Mother says, smiling. "This is it, isn't it?"

Atelier nods, then shakes her head. She has given up on that a while ago. She has decided that she wants to stay home, with her family. Things never go her way, damn it. "I'm sorry," she whispers, hanging her head low.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, silly." Mother leaves the stove and closes the gap between them. "They told me you're different. Special." Her eyes glisten, but not with tears. It is something else. Something hopeful.

In all honesty, Atelier isn't sure what 'special' is. She doesn't know if she can handle 'special'. "I'm scared, ma."

"It is okay to be scared," Mother says. She cradles Atelier's face in her palms and smiles the same motherly smile the kids all know and love. "Being scared means you're about to do something really, really brave. I am proud of you, Atelier."

Atelier throws her arms around Mother and hugs her tight. She can't find any words. Words aren't enough on their own.

"Be safe, my dear."

"You have to stay safe too, mama," Atelier says. She doesn't know yet how they can ensure that, but the guardians promise to work something out. They are having a discussion in the living room.

"Your highness."

Atelier pulls away and turns to face the guardian – Kyungrig Soorei, the Guardian of Earth. She has learnt of their names a little while ago.

The one with silver hair and a black cape draped across his broad shoulders – the one who can teleport – is Mah'habara Qun Kai. He is the Guardian of Space.

The tall, copper-haired guardian is named Chanjyushir L'taeran.

Then there are two quieter guardians. Paddra Ssal Lay, the Guardian of Health who healed her wound, and Xiumin, the Guardian of Frost whose real name is unknown to even his own comrades.

They stand before her and vow to protect her at all cost, which is reassuring, but she can't help feeling pressured and tensed from the expectation they have of her. They genuinely believe that she is, as quoted from Chanjyushir, "the light of hope that will save us all".

She snaps back to reality when she hears Kyungrig's fingers drumming against the wooden archway. "There's someone here to see you. She claims to be a close friend."

"Shiozu!"

"Shall I send her in?"

He doesn't have to. Shiozu lets herself into the house, and because she seems so harmless – and she  _is_  harmless – they don't do anything to stop her. Her eyes grow wide when they spot Atelier. She marches over with unusually large steps.

"Oh my God, Atelier! Do you know how worried I was?" She draws her into a hug that lasts three seconds, then lets go and gestures to the living room. "Who  _are_  these guys? Nevermind – did you see the news?"

Lucem appears by the door. "What news?"

Shiozu pulls Atelier into the living room, followed by the two guardians. She grabs the remote from the top of the ancient television and switches it on. Footage of the ruined Jeron Vidar Academy fills the screen, and then the rubble remains of what used to be of the nation's military bases. The videos come to an end and the Primarch's face comes on, along with his furious voice. "We have officials looking into this matter. We urge the people to stay calm and do not panic."

He seems to be doing well despite his daughter currently missing, but they don't call him the Iron Ruler for nothing.

Within seconds, the frame is replaced by a picture of Atelier, prompting a sharp gasp from her. "Our only lead this far appears to be a girl named Atelier Rosche. Several witnesses from both sites of the attack have identified her to be the cause of the destruction. We do not know what her intentions are, but for safety reasons, we are branding her a dangerous enemy of the nation. Should you have any news about her –"

The words burn out mid-sentence as the television burst into flames. Shiozu screams, clutching Atelier's arms, while Lucem cut the fire-starter a disapproving glare.

"Sorry, your highness," Chanjyushir says, although his tone indicates that he's anything but. Still boiling with anger, he dismisses the fire with a wave of his hand.

"You know, we can definitely blow up the entire city, just like that, if we wanted to," Xiumin suggests.

"No, we do  _not_  want to," Lucem says, silencing him. Xiumin shrugs and goes back to polishing his weapons. "We're looking to end the war, not start another one!"

"But they're coming for me. If I'm not here, they won't spare my family." Atelier is practically choking on fear just then. "We have to do  _something_. They can't stay here."

"Bringing them to Exotreia is out of the question, first of all," Kai says, as if he can read her mind. "Exotreia is no playground."

Shiozu tugs on Atelier's arm and shakes her. "What's Exotreia?" Then she shakes her head. "Nevermind. My father used to speak of an abandoned cathedral near the edge of the district. You know, back when Morheim was bigger?"

Yes, until the attack from Pandemonium destroyed half of it.

"Nobody goes there anymore because it's beyond the new border and impossible to reach, but there's actually an underground tunnel leading all the way there from the town square. My father has the key. It may be safe enough."

Anywhere would be safer than their home. Atelier looks at Mother, who nods. "I'll get the children ready."

 


	12. 1 | Twelve

\---

"The boy. He wants to come along."

"Jungkook?"

Lucem nods, sighing in frustration. "I told him he can't. I tried explaining the dangers to him. He just won't give up."

Atelier falls silent. A part of her secretly wishes he can come with them. At least that way, she won't be completely alone in a foreign world. Another part knows it isn't ideal; he is safer here in Ishalgen than he will be in Exotreia. He's a Pandemonium citizen, after all. They wouldn't do anything to hurt him.

But if he ever let slip Mother and the kids' hiding place, it would be over. The Jungkook she knows will never do something as despicable and heartless as that, but then again, she reminds herself that she doesn't really know him all that well. Further, he still blames Atelier for what happened to Soo Young. If he decides to get revenge, if he decides to inflict the same amount of pain on her –

She shakes it off and almost yells at herself. No! Jungkook isn't like that.  _Right_...?

"Your highness? Are you alright?"

"Let him come," she finally says. "Saving Soo Young will be his responsibility. This is his fight, not mine."

Lucem ponders on it for a moment like he wants to disagree, but eventually yields. "If that is what you wish, your highness."

After he leaves, Atelier goes to see Mother and the kids. They hold hands; not wanting to let go, not knowing when they can do this again.

"Be brave, Atelier," Mother tells her.

She nods. "Where's Lucy?"

Her youngest sister has distanced herself from the group, settling in the corner alone. She stares at her feet, not even looking up when Atelier approaches her.

"Hey, teeny." No response. "Ready to go?" Once again, no reply from the little girl. Atelier feels irresponsible for leaving her when Lucy needs her to protect her. "Lucy, Shiozu will bring you somewhere safe, okay? Just stay with mama and your brothers and sister. Everything will be fine."

Finally, Lucy lifts her head, revealing her red, puffy eyes and blotchy cheeks. "Are you coming with us?"

Atelier sighs. "No, sweetie. I can't."

"Why not?"

"There's... somewhere important I have to be, Lucy."

"You're leaving?"

The words cut through her heart like a knife through butter. Atelier can tell from the way Lucy's lips are trembling, that she's on the verge of tears. The only thing worse than watching her sister cry, is watching her sister cry and not knowing what to say or do to make it better.

"You promised you wouldn't," Lucy sniffles. "You said you will stay home with us."

"I know, Lucy, I know. I'm sorry for disappointing you. Look..." she pauses, brushing her sister's blonde hair from her eyes and tucking them neatly behind her ears. "I won't be gone for long. I will come back." Her own voice is shaking. It threatens to betray her expression. "I will come home."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise." She links her pinky finger through Lucy's. Then, she reaches up to show her the pendant she is wearing around her neck. Lucy smiles. "This time, I will keep my promise."

"I will miss you, big sister."

Atelier grins. "Really? How much?"

Lucy stretches her arms wide open. "This much," she says proudly, and Atelier decides that she can't hold back tears any longer. She pulls Lucy into a warm embrace, hoping her sister won't see her cry.

"I'll miss you too, teeny."

With Lucy in tow, Atelier walks to Kenton and places her hand on the boy's shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "You're the big brother now, Kenton. Take care of mama and your siblings."

He nods, squaring his jaw in determination. "Will do, big sis."

"You have no idea how desperate I am to know what is going on."

Atelier spins around, finding a worried Shiozu with her arms crossed. "Me too, Shiozu. Me too..."

Shiozu eyes the guardians suspiciously before shaking her head slowly. "I don't know what you're going to do, but please be careful, Atelier. Take good care of yourself. I need you back here alive. I can't have my wedding without my bridesmaid."

Atelier laughs. It sounds a bit forced, but at least she tried. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

After one last goodbye, Shiozu leaves with Atelier's family. Her heart goes with them, leaving her feeling hollow. She hopes this will be enough to keep them safe, at least, until her return, because she  _will_  return. She promised.

"Your highness, we should leave too," Lucem says.

She looks to the other end of the room, where Jungkook is. Their eyes meet before he turns away, avoiding her. Atelier takes a deep breath.

"Let's go."

They form a circle by holding hands. Kai juggles four pink shards and captures them in his palms. "This  _may_  cause a little dizziness, your highness."

\---

And such an understatement that was; once the black void engulfs them, it feels like different parts of her body are separated and pulled in various directions before being pieced back together. She feels light and empty, as if her soul has left her body and is floating about. It all happens and lasts less than a few seconds – when she can see again, she is in a different location.

Atelier surveys the surroundings and take mental notes. The landscape is bare; a vast desert stripped of greenery safe for some shrubs and succulents here and there. The terrain is uneven and mountainous. Several winged creatures fly over them in the sky, screeching away.

It feels like Terra. Like the world outside of Ishalgen, where they are warned since young to stay away from. The part of Terra that is rendered toxic and unliveable after the war.

It feels quite like home.

"Doesn't seem quite different from Terra," Jungkook mumbles to himself, but Chanjyushir catches it.

"Of course. How different should it be?" he snaps.

Atelier looks into the clear sky and squints at the two suns illuminating the world; one slightly more distance than the other. She finds that it doesn't hurt much looking straight into the light, which is pretty great. She loves the warmth.

In the distance, a winged creature screeches. It sounds like an eagle, but no – it's at least twice as large. It dives straight at the group and nearly picks up Jungkook, who shrieks.

"Playful little critter, isn't it?" Lay comments.

"Well, go play with someone else."

As if it heard him, the creature makes another dive and swoops the air above Jungkook, sending him tumbling backwards, before taking off into the sky.

Chanjyushir laughs at his misfortune. He stands over him and lends him a hand, smirking. "Welcome to Exotreia."

\---

"They are here."

The man is hardly fazed. He keeps his eyes closed, moving only his lips to say, "Oh?"

"They brought her back. And a boy too. I don't recognize him. They're in the outskirts of Tor Exul right now."

"Is that it?" The servant nods, and satisfied, the man waves his hand in dismissal. "Thank you. You may leave."

Once he is alone in his chamber, he walks to the table in the middle of the dark room. Sitting delicately on the surface, floating inches above the table is a stone; dull and lacklustre. As he moves his hand closer, it begins to glow, radiating a light so bright, it very nearly rivals the Speros flower.  _Nearly_.

He grips the artefact and closes his eyes once more. He sees the guardians and the girl – the sorceress. The resemblance is uncanny, but that's no surprise for him. He had known. All along, he knows.

"Here, at long last," he speaks, to no one in particular. "Now it begins again."

Then he sees the Terran boy – terrified, but not all that clueless. Not all that  _innocent_. A smile creeps across his face.

"Now, this will be interesting."

**\- End of Part I -**

****

 

**Author's Note:  **And there goes Part 1! If you've read this far, thank you! I have 14 more parts planned haha, but they aren't all the same length - please don't panic. ^^;;

I will be back the week after with the first chapters to Part 2, so stay tuned for that.

Have a good rest-of-the-week, everyone!


	13. 2 | Thirteen

****

**Part II: Invitation from Danger**

_'The Gods abandoned humans and left us to suffer while they war amongst themselves._

_Endless bloodshed. Chaos plagued the dark, cold shell we call home._

_The sorceress is our saviour. Daughter of Mystel, her heart pure as gold -_

_By her grace, peace is restored to a broken world._

_The Speros flower was Ariel's favourite -_

_It blooms now only for our queen.'_

_\- plucked from the abstract of a history paper in Exotreia -_

\---

Exotreia's night sky is breath-taking.

Stars glisten and sparkle against the dark sky like glitter dust on a black canvas. The two moons make their grand entrance almost as soon as the suns dim. Atelier is surprised at how quickly that happens. It felt like midday just a couple of hours ago. She heard Lucem and Lay talking about it; something about the  _plague_. They looked worried, grim.

She is staring mindlessly at her portion of roast crestlich, feeling a bit peckish but not quite enough to eat. Kyungrig assured her that it tastes great – a staple in most Exotreian diet – but Atelier chooses to be difficult. It's not that she's a picky eater. Not at all. In Morheim, you eat whatever you can get your hands on.

Morheim... She wonders how her family is doing. She can't eat now, not without knowing whether they can do the same. She trusts Shiozu to take good care of them, but should the soldiers find them –

No. They won't. She needs to believe that.

She looks to Jungkook, who is sitting alone at the side. He is not eating, either.

"You're not hungry, your highness?"

Chanjyushir joins her at her corner of the camp, sitting down crossed-leg beside her. Atelier looks at the crestlich, then at him. "Not really," she replies.

The guardian looks worried. "You should eat, even just a little." He reaches into his coat and pulls out a small white package. With a smile, he unwraps the cloth, revealing a handful of shiny pink berries. "Here. Maybe you will like these?"

She certainly does. They look appetizing. She picks one and pops it into her mouth. It tastes sweet, almost like candy. "They're good. What are they?" she asks, already reaching for another one.

Chanjyushir hands her the whole package. "Sarberries. They grow nearly everywhere in Exotreia, but especially in Arcadia."

"I see." They are in Arcadia now, Continent of Earth. Tor Exul, to be more specific. Atelier knows Kyungrig hails from Val Aurum; Lucem asked earlier, if he wanted to go for a visit, but he declined, stating that there is nothing left to see.

It's so sad, the way he said it. There isn't any emotion, like he has long purged his sorrow and misery. How? Atelier will never be able to do that,  _if_  her family were taken from her. But they won't be. She won't allow it. She will do everything in her power to keep them safe.

"The boy, how is he holding up?" Chanjyushir suddenly asks, startling her.

Atelier swallows. Truth is, she has no idea how Jungkook is feeling. She hasn't spoken to him since... it feels like forever ago. Her face falls, and she wraps the sarberries with the cloth, her appetite gone. "I don't know," she admits sadly.

"The King Behemoth really shook him, didn't it?"

She nods, though it is more than just the monster. She doesn't want to talk about it, however. It still quite hurts how much Jungkook cares about Soo Young.

Chanjyushir scoffs. "Well then. How foolish it is of him to step into Exotreia. As Kai said, Exotreia is no playground for Terrans. He has no idea what he's getting himself into –" He stops, as if he has said too much.

"There are monsters  _worse_  than the Behemoth?"

"Let's just say that in Exotreia, nearly every living thing is dangerous. Well, living  _and_  dead. I mean, it's fine. We are all used to it here. That's just the way things are. Beasts fight beasts. Humans fight humans. Humans fight beasts..." He waves a hand. "Exotreia weeds out the weak and leaves only the strong. Terrans have it easy compared to us. Way easy."

That sounds horrible. Chanjyushir must have seen the face she makes, because he apologizes immediately.

"I don't mean to scare you, your highness. You know no matter how dangerous the world is, we will protect you. You can count on us –"

"I'm not scared," she says, then adds, "I mean, I  _am_  scared, but not because of what you said. Don't worry."

He smiles, although he looks like he isn't sure if he should be. "You didn't seem scared at all, when you jumped in to save the boy. It was brave. Reckless, but brave."

Atelier blushes. "I couldn't just stand around and do nothing when he's in danger."

"Not even if you could end up hurt, or worse?"

She hesitates, thinking back to her near-death encounter. She was hurt badly, and she knows it certainly could have been worse, if not for Lay. Still, when Jungkook is concerned... She inhales. "I just – I want to be able to protect the people I love."

"I see." Chanjyushir's face crumples. There is a long pause before he speaks again. "He must mean a lot to you, your highness?"

It may have just been her imagination, but she swears she senses a hint of displeasure in his voice, maybe even disappointment. She doesn't ask why. Somehow she feels like it isn't the time for her to know. Yet.

She doesn't reply, either. The answer is obvious – yes – and Chanjyushir knows it.

"Just be careful, your highness. Don't put yourself at risk. Never put yourself at risk," he says, rather flatly. He is looking straight at Jungkook with an unreadable expression. "Not for anyone," he adds, and with that, he stands up and walks away, leaving her confused.

_Weird_ , she thinks to herself. It's almost like he's annoyed at her. She wishes she knows what makes him feel that way. Chanjyushir is one of the friendlier guardians. Not that the others are hostile or anything, but they have this way of  _looking_  at her, like they are judging her worth. She doesn't blame them. She judges herself too.

But Lucem and Chanjyushir don't look at her like that. They look at her like they already know her worth, know how much she means. It's both reassuring and stressful.

Sighing, she shakes it off and decides to care less about it, at least for the time being. She has more important things on her mind, such as Jungkook's wellbeing, in particular. She wants to talk to him, about everything. To apologize and make him see that she is trying to make things right again. To let him know that she cares about him very much.

But he may not want to hear any of that. He may still be angry. Above all, she is finding it hard to face him again after he accused her of not saving Soo Young. Because it hurts to hear that from him, and because he is right.

"You should speak to him, your highness."

Atelier glances up and sees Lucem in the middle of a bow. She wonders if he read her mind, which he has shown himself to be very capable of.

He smiles, taking a seat next to her on the log. "Some things you don't need mind-reading to know."

She sighs, her shoulders slumping.

"You do care about him a lot, don't you, your highness?"

"What does it matter? It means nothing right now. I was the cause of destruction to his home. He's in this mess because of me. If only I didn't –" Her lips tremble and her eyes brim with tears.  _If only she didn't go to that stupid ball_.

Lucem doesn't reply straight after, which leads her to believe that he thinks the same, but he shakes his head. "You can't blame yourself for what happen, your highness. You didn't know anything. You were kept in the dark for..." He looks at her.

"Eighteen."

"Yes, eighteen years. This," he gestures around them, "must be terrifying to you."

It is, and Lucem is right – she never knew.

"Is there a reason why...  _this_  happened now, and not earlier?" Not that it would have been any better if it happened earlier.

"The lack of Aether on Terra may have made it harder for your abilities to manifest. That, and there isn't anyone to teach you about them," Lucem explains. "But a sorceress' powers peak once she turns eighteen, and well, they become harder to control."

"Or conceal," she adds under her breath. Lucem gives her a look that aims to remind her it isn't her fault. Silence falls over them. It doesn't bother her, but it seems to worry him.

"Your highness?"

Atelier meets his gaze and manages a small smile. "You can just call me by my name, you know? The 'your highness' thing is rather unnecessary."

A scandalous look crosses his handsome face, as though it is a terrible sin to even suggest that. "That won't be alright at all, your highness. It would be disrespectful."

"Okay then," she sighs. He waits for her to clarify. "'Your highness' is okay." His smile returns. It makes her feel warm. She looks at her feet. "You must know that I'm not used to this, right?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

He looks like he doesn't know how to answer. Or rather, like he has a few different answers flashing past his mind and he doesn't know which one to pick. In the end, he just says, "For not getting to you earlier."

"Don't start blaming yourself," Atelier tells him. "I still haven't thanked you enough for saving me –  _us_."

Lucem nods, then stands. "Please, get some rest tonight, your highness. We will take turns keeping watch. Tomorrow, when Kai's strength has recovered, we will head to the Sanctum."

As he leaves her, she places her dinner aside, not intending to finish it. She takes another quick glance at Jungkook, but as usual, he doesn't look back. She wonders if he has noticed her looking at all.

The guardians build her a makeshift tent to sleep in, and she retreats under the cover with a grateful heart. She doesn't think sleep will come easy, not with all these questions burning in her mind, but it turns out she is wrong.

She closes her eyes, and falls fast asleep.

\---

Atelier wakes up with a start the next morning.

It no longer surprises her, but admittedly, she hasn't expected her nightmares to follow her all the way to a different world. They do, and once again, she has to convince herself that they are nothing more than projections of her fevered brain and that she should brush them off, but it is easier said than done. The smell of smoke is so real it almost chokes her.

Then she realizes that the smoke isn't from her dreams. Something really is burning.

Her heart thumping fast, she takes a deep breath and crawls out of the leafy tent, bracing herself for something horrible, but at the same time assuring herself that nothing is wrong. Surely the guardians would wake her otherwise.

The camp site is still in the same state it was before she retired for the night, except for the fire, which has reduced to almost nothing but smoke and ashes. It is strangely quiet, for there isn't anyone around.

Atelier's heart drops into her stomach.  _No one around_. Not even the guardians. Not even Jungkook. Chill runs a finger down her spine.

"Lucem? Jungkook?" She spins around, desperate and afraid. There is no answer, except for the shrill caws from a flock of birds, resonating across the desert. She calls out again, louder this time. She can almost hear the echoes of her own voice.

The guardians wouldn't have left her alone. They wouldn't have gone ahead without her. Maybe they are scouting the area, as a safety measure or something, but leaving her all on her own – that doesn't sound very safe. "Your safety is our number one priority" – she can't help but doubt the sincerity of their words now.

Worse, Jungkook is gone too. It isn't safe out there, and if he has walked off alone then he is heading straight into danger. She clasps her clammy palms together and prays that he stay safe. If the guardians are with him, she hopes that they come back soon. If they aren't, she hopes they find him quickly.

She feels so lost, so helpless. Worry has dissolved her fear. Her eyes search the area for clues. Her gaze finally lands on a beautifully crafted bow seated against the log she sat on last night. She recognizes it as Kyungrig's. She has seen it secured in the fur pelt hanging from his belt.

Relief washes over her. "He's coming back," she tells herself. The weapon looks too precious to be thrown away.

"They'll come back. They're coming back," she chants, walking in circles around the dying fire. She has just managed to calm herself down when she spots a mysterious figure, cloaked in black, standing not too far away. Behind him, she sees a spread of green forestry she never noticed before.

Immediately, she is aware that something is wrong. The figure stands there very still and silent. She stares right back, not daring to look away. It raises one arm in her direction, and as it does so, strong gusts of wind sweep around her, carrying voices to her ears. They seem to come from the trees – no, they are coming from  _everywhere_. She doesn't understand what they are saying, but they grow louder and angrier.

She covers her ears, her feet ready to take off, but they don't. They can't. Something is pressing her down.

There is a burning sensation in her chest, and she can't breathe right. She claws at the pain, gasping wildly for air. She falls to her knees. The voices now sound more like screams. One of them, is her own.

All of a sudden, the voices stop. The pain alleviates. The sky is bright and clear again, and the wind has stopped its brutal streak. The ominous figure is nowhere to be seen when she opens her eyes to see.

Atelier has just pushed herself up from the ground when she hears the unmistakable growl of a wild beast behind her.

**Author's Note:**  Ah, it is good to be back! I had a good break. Cheers to the start of Part 2! The adventure is just about to begin...


	14. 2 | Fourteen

\---

"What are we looking for, exactly?"

Lucem keeps on walking. "Anything suspicious, out of the ordinary."

"What  _isn't_  suspicious, Lucem?" Chanjyushir mutters behind him. "A whole forest quite literally sprouted out of thin air overnight. It's as if the Qutas Woods grew legs and travelled miles to welcome us back home."

"Or, we were moved," Lucem counters grimly.

Impossible. Chanjyushir crosses his arms. "None of us noticed anything strange last night. Not even Kyungrig."

"People make mistakes."

"When it concerns the safety of the sorceress, I don't."

Lucem turns to him, looking not too pleased. "While I like your attitude, overconfidence is a flimsy shield."

The Guardian of Fire stops in his tracks and leans against a nearby tree. He looks into the sky and heaves a heavy sigh. "I just – I just want to do things right this time. Whenever I look at her, I'm reminded of failing. I wish I knew what went so wrong, before everything fell apart. Before she..." His voice trails away.

"Yeah," a single word that is Lucem's reply. He says nothing else, but Chanjyushir can tell something is clouding his mind.

"Well, say something," he probes. "I can't read minds."

"I can. I'm feeling the same as you are. I'm worried, though not for the reason you have."

"You don't think her feelings for the boy will put her in danger?"

"I didn't say that –"

Chanjyushir cuts him off before he can finish. "You know what happened to Sorceress Athena."

No one speaks about what happened to the previous sorceress. It's something the guardians keep to themselves, never to be brought up again. The people don't know, and but they did love speculating.

For a brief moment, Lucem looks broken, then he steers his gaze elsewhere. "I do, Chanjyushir. I haven't forgotten, but that's all in the past, isn't it? It's not important."

"Do you really believe that? That it's not important because it happened a long time ago?"

"Well, what do you want me to say? Or do?"

"I don't know!" His loud voice scares off a few birds, but Lucem's composure remains calm and collected. Chanjyushir, though, can never hold back his emotions, which he is often ashamed of. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried, alright? I don't want anything bad to happen to the sorceress. Not again."

Lucem places his hand on the younger's shoulder and gives him an encouraging smile. "Then we'll make sure it doesn't. We have to have faith. In ourselves, in the sorceress; there are a lot of things she doesn't know yet. We must guide her. As long as we do our part well, there's no reason she can't perform hers."

He knows Lucem is right. Lucem is quite always right. He hopes his faith is enough to get them through.

"Well then, let's just return to camp. We're not finding anything, and I don't feel too good leaving only Kyungrig with her highness," Chanjyushir says. It is not a good idea to leave the sorceress' side for this long, even if Kyungrig  _is_  a great fighter.

"The others may already be back. Don't worry," Lucem replies, but he is already heading towards where they came from.

Chanjyushir watches Lucem's feet as they take measured steps. He catches up to him with little effort. "What you said earlier, about being worried but not for the same reason... What did you mean?" Lucem doesn't answer, but Chanjyushir takes a guess. "It's the King Behemoth, isn't it? You worry it originates from Terra?"

Lucem nods once, but follows up with a stiff shake of his head. "I'm more concerned about its connection to the sorceress. You weren't there to feel it, but the day of the second attack – the moment before it came back to life... I felt her highness' anger. It's as if that anger breathed life into the Behemoth. Made it stronger, even."

"You think the sorceress may have...  _created_  the beast?"

Summoning is Chaos magic. The sorceress shouldn't be associated with anything Chaos. Lucem curses under his breath. "I don't want to think that, but I can't explain it otherwise."

Chanjyushir doesn't know how to respond, and when he finally has something to say, he is interrupted by a blood-curdling scream slicing through the air.

There is no need to exchange worried glances. The two guardians take off as fast as their feet can carry them.

\---

The three guardians are just about to head back when they hear the scream.

Kai immediately conjures a portal, and they hop into it. It takes them only a second to arrive at the camp, right as a horned beast advances on the defenceless sorceress, seemingly ready to attack. Kyungrig is nowhere to be seen.

The creature goes down in a matter of seconds. Xiumin's precision with his ice spear is terrifying.

While Lay tends to the sorceress and calms her down, Kai moves towards the dead beast. It's a Rockhorn, but there's something peculiar about it that he can't put a finger on. Nevertheless, it doesn't look very menacing, and he isn't sure why it would even attack in the first place. Rockhorns are rather tame creatures that those from Archylte Steppe, his home, keep as pets. He looks to Xiumin, who has the same expression as he does. They don't feel good about this.

Lucem and Chanjyushir return shortly after, demanding to know what happened. As Kai explains, Chanjyushir's fury grows.

"Where's Kyungrig? He is not supposed to leave the sorceress on her own!"

As he heard his name, Kyungrig appears right on cue, dragging behind him the Terran boy. The sorceress beams with delight when she sees him, but Chanjyushir isn't feeling the same joy.

"Where have  _you_  been?" he barks, pointing an accusing finger at Kyungrig. "How could you just walk away and leave the sorceress on her own? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

Irritated, though a bit ashamed, Kyungrig slaps his finger away and glares right back. "I didn't want to. Maybe it would be better if all of you didn't just go off and leave me looking after this big baby."

Chanjyushir hisses through gritted teeth, "Your responsibility is the sorceress! How could you abandon her and go after this – this  _pest!_ "

"I didn't abandon her! I was coming back."

"Apparently not soon enough."

Lucem pinches the bridge of his nose. He has heard enough. "Stop that, both of you." He kneels before the sorceress. He is worried about her, first and foremost. "Your highness, you are really alright?"

She nods, then explains her encounter with a mysterious figure who attacked her before the Rockhorn appeared.

"Shadow Walkers, I'm sure of it," Chanjyushir says, clenching his fists. "They're playing us. They created a distraction, and we fell for it."

But that doesn't explain the Rockhorn – it most definitely isn't a Shadow Beast. Kai frowns, but decides not to say anything.

"What matters now is that the sorceress is safe. But we can't take any more risks," Lucem warns. His glare cuts to the Terran boy briefly before he turns to Kai. "Are you ready?"

Kai nods. He is always ready.

\---

There is no other place quite as grand as the Sanctum, Atelier is sure of it. She thought she has seen it all in Pandemonium, but Ishalgen's crown city pales in comparison to the heart of Exotreia.

The buildings seem to sparkle in the sunlight. Plants and flowers flourish all around, painting the landscape with beautiful colours amongst the city's golden details. It's like a city plucked right out of a fairy tale book.

"Wow," Atelier gushes as she takes in the surroundings. "Stunning. This is beautiful."

Lucem looks pleased with her delight. "Glad you think so, your highness. We will show you around later, once you're settled in. And of course, you are free to explore, as long as you don't wander out of the city."

As they walk around some more, Atelier can't help but wonder. "Are we the only ones here?"

"Ah, yes," Lucem answers quietly, then quickly adds, "For now. The Sanctum used to be bustling and festive, but then came the war. People left to be with their family, back home."

He means to tell her the Sanctum has been unpeopled for centuries? She doesn't believe it. Everything looks so pristine, so alive. "Then, who takes care of the city all this time?"

"Lucem!"

The guardians look ahead at the man standing at the top of the staircase leading to what appears to be the Sanctum's core building, something like what the Pandora Citadel is to Pandemonium, only sansr. He waves to them and darts down the stairs.

"What took you so long? I was getting worried," he says, then he sees Atelier. His eyes widen and his jaw hangs in surprise. "Whoa. This is –"

"Sorceress Atelier," Lucem introduces. He clears his throat to signal the stunned guardian to bow.

"Oh, uh, yes! Your highness. I am Caius Tao. I'm the Guardian of Time. You look – I mean, welcome. Welcome to the Sanctum."

Atelier says a polite 'hello', but Tao continues to stare at her, and it makes her feel uneasy.

Lucem notices. "Chanjyushir, why don't you show her highness to her chamber so she can get ready? Kyungrig, you take the boy."

Kyungrig stretches his eyes open and points a finger to himself, like he can't believe Lucem has assigned him once again to Jungkook. Lucem gives him a look that seems to plead with him, so he just grumbles and barks at Jungkook to follow him. Atelier hopes the guardian will go easy on her dear friend.

The guardians go on their way, except Lucem and Tao, who remain where they are. Atelier notices that Tao is still stealing glances at her as she is led away by Chanjyushir, and she can only wonder why, and if she should be worried.

\---

Tao hasn't bothered to hide his shock in front of the sorceress. As she leaves with Chanjyushir, his eyes follow her and he shakes his head in disbelief. "By Siel's grace, she looks just like –"

"I know," Lucem intercepts, sounding as worried as Tao is amazed.

"I didn't expect that." Tao massages his temples. "Do you think that she's...?" He lets his voice trail away, hoping that Lucem will get what he means.

He does, and after a long sigh, he replies, "I don't know."

"Well, Sephyrus is not going to be pleased about this."

Lucem groans, having expected that long before Tao even mentions it. Frowning, he asks, "Where is he now?"

"The arena. He's been spending all his waking time there since we've got here. There, and the garrison ruins."

Of course. Sephyrus has not let it go. Lucem won't blame him, but still –

"Should I let him know the sorceress is here?"

Somehow, Lucem knows that isn't a good idea. It's only a matter of time before the two are introduced to one another, but when that happens, the only thing capable of stopping Sephyrus from losing control would be his sworn duty, and he has to make sure the young guardian hasn't forgotten it.

"No, let me talk to him first."

* * *

 


	15. 2 | Fifteen

\---

Lucem has forgotten what an impressive shooter Sephyrus is. Every shot is fast and precise. He never misses. The virtual simulation AI may have to be replaced soon.

"You're back," Sephyrus comments, eyes not leaving his target even as he hits the buttons on the control deck, activating movement for his pretend-enemies.

"Yes," Lucem says. He glances around the arena. He remembers the hours he used to spend here each day, practicing and honing his skills to become a better guardian – well, truth be told he was mostly on the receiving end of his comrades' skilful attacks, but he was fine with it, he'd like to think. A wistful smile plays along his lips. Things were a lot less complicated then.

"That was fast."

"Tao thought different," he replies. His gaze finally comes upon the glass windows stretching from the top panels of the walls to the dome. He can see the hallway of Beacon Court; empty, as it should be. A familiar pain clutches his heart.

"Well, did you find her?"

Sephyrus is looking at him now, though with an unreadable expression. He can't tell what the young guardian is feeling, or thinking; not without using his powers, but he is against that option. "Yes, we did. On Terra."

The look on Sephyrus' face hardens. He turns away, raises his gunblade, and fires. The projectile hits a target near the edge of the coliseum and explodes, devouring half of it with its purple flames. He remains unshaken. "Was there any truth in the vision then?"

Lucem nods to that. There isn't a need to ask. One would have to be a fool to doubt the predictions of a Seer. Tao's visions are as accurate as Sephyrus' aim. "A King Behemoth got to her shortly before we did."

"A Shadow Beast?"

"We can't be sure. We didn't get a chance to examine it."

Sephyrus raises an eyebrow. "It escaped?"

"Unfortunately," Lucem answers, but he makes no mention of the girl the beast took with it. Thankfully, Sephyrus isn't too interested. He doesn't press on.

"And the Aetheric Field?"

"Still intact, from what I can tell." He shakes his head. "It doesn't make any sense."

"You know what else doesn't make sense? The fact that we're still here."

It is hard to reply to that, especially when Sephyrus has a point. It  _is_  strange that they are all still around, after all these years. Lucem is thankful, for the most part, because it means they can do what they failed to the last time. Sephyrus isn't happy about it. If anything, he is angry at the fact that he is still alive and breathing.

"We are here for a purpose, Sephyrus," he reminds the younger, placing a hand on his shoulder. His fingers brush against the metal pauldron Sephyrus always wears on his left shoulder.  _Helkan Army Great General_  – his rank when he served the military. "We failed the first time, but we are given a chance to make things right again."

Sephyrus shakes him off angrily. "What about Rygdea? Baekhyun? And Yeul?" he challenges. "Don't they get another chance too?"

Lucem clamps down his lips. Sephyrus is making this difficult, but Lucem can understand. At least, he'll try to understand.

"It's not up to us to decide our fates. You know that," he says quietly.

"I do. I'm just saying I don't think it's fair at all. Or right."

"I know. I know it right from the start," Lucem says. He draws a deep breath and sighs after. "Let's do it again, and do it right this time, Sephyrus. Rygdea would want that. So would Baekhyun and Yeul."

Sephyrus flashes him a withering look. His grip tightens around his weapon – he isn't close to being finished with his session yet. The condensed rifle transforms into a blade as he thumbs a few more buttons on the control deck. The targets begin rushing towards him at various speeds from different directions. Lucem steps back.

He takes all of them down, of course. Not one escapes the judgment of his trusted gunblade. Lucem resists the urge to clap. It isn't his first time witnessing Sephyrus' combat might, after all.

The last of the target falls apart by his feet. Smirking with pride, Sephyrus holsters his weapon and turns to Lucem.

"So, when are you going to introduce me to our beloved sorceress?"

\---

Atelier is yet again in amazement when she enters the Queen's chamber.

Deep maroon velvet drapes line the grand canopy top. Fine lace cascades down towards a dozen embroidered pillows. The moment she steps into the room, her eyes are drawn to the bed – quite the centrepiece, gilded with flecks of gold and is no doubt fit for royalty. It is after all, the Queen's, and now it is hers.

She takes a deep breath to recover from her awe and continues looking around excitedly. The soft flooring matches the drapes and curtains. The décor – mostly gold though some are crystal – glistens under the lights. Not a single speck of dust is to be seen, as though the place is cleaned and maintained regularly even in the Queen's absence.

Atelier hears a soft whirring sound and searches for the source. She spots a hovering robotic device that is shaped like a mini submarine heading towards her, and stares at it curiously. It beeps as it scans her, and promptly emits a ray of blue light that removes an ink stain from her worn-out shirt.

"Wow, thanks!" Atelier giggles. She bends forward to take a closer look at the robot. "You've been keeping things tidy around here, haven't you?"

The robot carries on with its duty and leaves her side. She looks around some more. There is a fireplace, a snow globe on top of the fireplace mantel, and hanging above on the wall is a huge portrait of a young lady.

It is then that Atelier understands the odd look on Tao's face when he saw her.

The lady in the portrait has cream-coloured hair that flows in waves to adorn her glowing, porcelain skin. Her alluring eyes are a periwinkle blue, bright and framed by long lashes. She has a delicate nose and full rosy lips. As she rounds the descriptions in her head, Atelier shudders. It's like she's describing herself; a more regal, beautiful and poised version of herself.

They aren't entirely identical; Atelier's hair is not as long and is raven-black. Her eyes are no lighter. But they look alike enough to pass off as sisters. Maybe even twins.

"That's Sorceress Athena."

Atelier turns to Chanjyushir at the door. He has returned. Promptly, as he has promised. He smiles at the portrait, then at her.

"She looks like me. I mean, I look like her," she says.

Chanjyushir looks sad, but he tries to hide it by keeping the smile on his face. "Yes. Indeed you do, your highness."

"Is that how it is? All sorceresses look the same?"

"Not at all. It appears that you are the first sorceress to bear striking resemblance to your predecessor, your highness."

Atelier wonders if it means anything, but decides not to voice her thoughts aloud. She is still fixated on Athena's face. She can't help but notice a hint of sadness and longing in her eyes; she is looking into the distance, her headpiece slightly askew, like she wishes to be somewhere else.

"Here you go, your highness. You should change into these," Chanjyushir tells her, holding out a set of folded garments to her. They look like a female version of the guardian's uniform. "These used to belong to Yeul. Hopefully they fit you well. I'll wait outside while you get changed."

They do turn out to be a perfect fit for her. Whoever this Yeul is must be her size. Atelier hopes she won't mind sharing her clothes.

She steps in front of the giant wall mirror to see how she looks. She isn't too sure about the skirt – even though it has shorts sewn in within – but overall, she likes it. Now she looks like one of the guardians. She looks like she belongs.

She goes outside to join Chanjyushir, who beams when he sees her.

"You look great, your highness. The clothes fit you nicely, I see."

"Yes. I must thank Yeul for them."

He forces a smile, but it is fleeting. His eyes already betray his expression. "I'm sure Yeul would be very happy, if she were here, your highness."

"She... isn't?" Atelier gulps. She gets her answer from his silence. "I'm sorry."

"Please, do not apologize. Yeul would not be offended. Besides, you didn't know."

She frowns. "Still. I wish I know what to say to make you feel better. Even if only a little."

The smile returns to his face. "Just having you back is making me feel  _a lot_  better, your highness, trust me."

"You don't have to treat me like royalty, you know?" she says, shrugging as they start walking towards the Protectors' Hall. Maybe Chanjyushir will receive this better than Lucem did. "It makes me nervous. Pressured. When people hear the word 'queen', they expect someone great, and special, and –"

Chanjyushir stops, prompting her to do the same. "You  _are_  special, your highness."

"See, you keep saying that, but I don't feel it. It makes me anxious. It makes me feel like something is wrong with me and I will fall short of your expectations. It makes me scared."

His expression softens as he looks at her for a long time. "It must be difficult for you, your highness – being thrown into this huge mess all of a sudden, and not knowing. Not knowing what is in store is definitely daunting."

He understands? Atelier is so happy she almost throws her arms around him.

"If it makes you feel better, I was scared too, when I was first told I was to become a guardian. I think we all were. We came from different walks of life, brought together for one clear purpose, to serve and protect the sorceress, but no one told us how to do that, or how dangerous things could become. No one told us how terrible it would be if things go wrong, and things  _did_  go wrong. When hope is shattered, we were left to pick up the pieces on our own."

She stares after him. She can feel the sorrow in his words. "So how did you overcome it? How did you stop being scared?"

Chanjyushir pauses and takes a moment to flash her his most assuring smile. "I didn't. I don't think any of us did, your highness. We just keep believing – in ourselves, in the sorceress – and we gave it all we've got, having faith that as long as we don't give up, things will turn out okay in the end. Your return to us proves that there is truth in those words, after all."

Atelier really, really wants to hug him, but she doesn't. Is hugging allowed between the sorceress and her guardians? It probably isn't. She replies with a smile of her own and gives him the cue to continue heading towards their destination. She is grateful for Chanjyushir. She feels like she has gained a friend. "Thank you, Chanjyushir."

"No, thank  _you_ , your highness."

 


	16. 2 | Sixteen

\---

The walk to the Nobelium is... relaxing. Atelier enjoys the little tour Chanjyushir gives her, pointing out buildings and structures and reciting the names of places. It feels like she has seen a lot, but they've barely covered half of the Sanctum, maybe even less.

They reach the stairs where they parted ways with the other guardians earlier, and Chanjyushir guides her towards the building. Atelier realizes that the Nobelium is in fact a skyscraper, the top of the tower partially hidden behind clouds. The scenery from up there must be pretty amazing, she thinks.

"Are we going to the top?"

"Sort of. We are to meet the others in the Protectors' Hall. Would you like to see the throne room first, your highness?"

She nods eagerly. She has never been up a skyscraper before, let alone one in a foreign world. This should be interesting.

Chanjyushir grins and beckons for her to follow him up the stairs and into the building. He tells her about the Nobelium; it used to be the administrative centre for the Sanctum and was one of the busiest places in the Sanctum.

There is another staircase in the middle of the building. The hallway splits into the left and right wings, with an array of alcoves along the walls, where beautiful statues stand under warm light.

"This way, your highness."

Atelier hurries to join Chanjyushir, who is already at the top of the stairs, standing in front of a raised platform. He fiddles with a control panel and then asks her to step onto the platform before doing the same. She almost loses balance when it starts ascending, and has to latch onto him for support.

Embarrassed, she quickly pulls away. "Sorry..."

He laughs. "Don't be. I was the same for my first time. Kyungrig wouldn't stop making fun of me for days."

She tries to imagine Chanjyushir, a six-footer, grabbing onto Kyungrig, who is about a head shorter. That would have been funny to see!

As the elevator slowly and steadily takes them to the top, Atelier looks out the giant glass window. She can see the whole of Sanctum from here, even the other half that she has yet to explore. She sees a maze of sorts with a fountain in the centre of it, a conservatory-like glass dome, and what appears to be ruins – near the edge of the city.

"What's that?" she asks.

"The Sanctum Garrison," Chanjyushir replies, grimly. "What's left of it, anyway."

"What happened there?"

"Our enemies attacked. A show of their power, I suppose. It wasn't until they took out the entire legion that we began to take them seriously. Fear them, even. And we paid for our mistake dearly."

Silence falls over them for the rest of the ride.

The elevator stops when they reach the top. They walk down a short hallway to a set of doors, and they open as if they sense the presence of the queen and her guardian. Right up ahead, Atelier sees a staircase leading up to where the throne sits. A gigantic star ornament hangs from above, under the skylight, casting shadows and iridescent shapes on the lavender flooring.

Chanjyushir walks into the room, but Atelier stays behind.

It seems that all of a sudden, she is unable to move. Her breath quickens, heart races. She feels very strange, very uneasy. She feels... unsafe, and this feeling – it isn't foreign to her. But she can't explain it. She can't put it into words.

"Your highness?" Chanjyushir is looking at her with a concerned expression. "What's wrong?"

She doesn't know, but something is definitely wrong. She puts up a front and forces herself to step forward. With every movement she makes, she feels her veins twitch beneath her skin. She stops after the ninth step.

She can't go further. She doesn't want to go further.

Chanjyushir is still looking at her, now increasingly more concerned. She is unsure what to tell him.

"Can we... go?"

"Go?" he repeats after her, sounding confused.

"I think... I've seen enough," she says. "For now. Let's not keep the other guardians waiting."

He looks like he wants to probe into it, but he doesn't. "Oh, of course, your highness. I'll take you to the Protectors' Hall."

Atelier is already making her way to the elevator before he is even done speaking.

The Protectors' Hall is just a short ride from the top of the Nobelium tower. She still feels quite stiff, but has calmed down again by the time they reach their destination, which is fortunate, because she would hate to have the other guardians ask the same question Chanjyushir asked earlier – "What's wrong?" – a question she has no clear answer for.

There is a large round table in the main area of the hall, surrounded by thirteen seats. Some are already taken by the guardians, but they stand to greet her when she steps into the hall.

Atelier sees Jungkook by himself. He has also changed into a different attire, resembling a guardian's uniform but in a different colour scheme and with less bells and whistles. He looks quite dashing, but he still has that same look on his face.

He turns to her and their eyes meet for the first time in forever. She manages to smile, just a little, and to her surprise, he approaches her.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey," she responds, a pitch higher than her usual. It sounds terrible, and she feels even more so. "How are you feeling?"

He shrugs, but he has looked away again. "I'm okay, thanks."

"Okay."

"Okay."

There is a long pause. It feels like everyone in the hall is staring at them, waiting to see what will happen next. She gulps, but her apology is way overdue. She can't wait any longer.

"Jungkook..." she begins, quietly. "I just want you to know that I'm..."

His gaze returns to meet hers, and she sees the sadness in it. Just like that, she forgets what she wants to say.

And it is just as well, because the doors open for a second time, and Lucem walks in, followed by a grey-haired youth Atelier hasn't met before. He eyes everything and everyone distrustfully, almost as if he's here for the first time, but it couldn't have been hist first time; he is wearing the same uniform as the others. He's a guardian.

His eyes widen when they fall on her. He looks like he cannot believe what he is seeing. The surprise morphs into something else. Something hard and hostile. His stare bores into her like he is hunter, and she is prey.

She is glad when Lucem finally cuts into the silence. "Your highness, this is Sephyrus Hunathgrol, Guardian of Air."

Nervously, she toys with the pendant Lucy gave her, which she wears around her neck. If she is waiting for Sephyrus to bow down to her, she is in for a long wait. He doesn't budge at all, and his eyes are still fixated on her. His jaw is clenched tight, as are his knuckles.

"Sephyrus," Lucem says.

Atelier wants to say that it's alright, that it doesn't matter to her if Sephyrus addresses her or not, because if his murderous vibe is any indication, he clearly doesn't want to.

"Sephyrus," Lucem says again, firmly this time.

" _No_."

There is so much hate and anger in just that one syllable. Atelier finds that she is trembling.

Sephyrus glowers at her. "You do not deserve my respect."

Venom drips from his words, and it makes her blood run cold. He turns to leave without waiting for a response, and Lucem goes after him. Lay comes over to offer an apology on behalf of Sephyrus. "Please don't take it to heart, your highness. Sephyrus is... difficult. But he will come around," he tells her, though he doesn't sound like he believes it.

Atelier doesn't quite believe it either.

\---

Even out of combat, Sephyrus is fast on his feet. He passes the elevator and continues down the long hallway. Every time Lucem calls his name, he only seems to speed up a little more. Lucem knows that once Sephyrus reaches the Sky Canal, it would be near impossible to catch him, so he does the only thing he could to get Sephyrus to turn around.

He focuses and pulls the gates to the canal shut, right before Sephyrus can step across. The metal curves and bends unnaturally, making it impossible to force apart. Sephyrus turns around, annoyed.

"What do you think you are doing?" he snaps.

Lucem finally catches up to him. " _I_  should be asking  _you_  that question," he counters. He watches as Sephyrus pulls his gunblade from its holster and aims it at the gates. "Sephyrus, please don't do that."

"I'm leaving. I just – I need to get away from here." And he means it, Lucem knows, because Sephyrus doesn't think before doing something, especially when he's angry.

With a frustrated sigh, Lucem motions at the gates again. This time, the metal wiring uncurls from the main frame and lunges at Sephyrus' weapon, snatching it from him and launching it into the air. Lucem catches it.

"Give that back!" Sephyrus barks, clearly not pleased that his prized possession is in the hands of another.

"Please just listen to me –"

"I'm not listening to anything you have to say!" he yells. "You didn't tell me. You didn't tell me it's  _her_. How could you not tell me?"

Lucem exhales slowly. "It's not her. She's not Athena."

"Really? You mean to tell me that it's mere coincidence she looks  _exactly_  like Athena, and that it's also a coincidence we –  _Athena's_  guardians – are  _her_  guardians now?"

He admits it's strange, and he doesn't have an explanation for it, even though the guardians all asked him for one, expecting him to know everything. He wishes it  _is_  a coincidence, and he tells them it is, because they need something to believe in, and the last thing they want is for a mistake to repeat itself. But no one truly believes him, because he doesn't believe himself either, and Sephyrus is neither hopeful nor stupid enough to buy his flimsy explanation.

"Tell me, Lucem. Do you really believe that?"

Lucem rubs his temples. "I... I really don't know."

"That means 'no'."

" _No_ , it means I don't know."

Sephyrus snorts. "Go ahead and tell yourself whatever lies you need to make yourself feel better, Lucem, but I'm not going to sit around and relive the taste of failure for the second time."

"Oh? What are  _you_  going to do then? Abandon your duty? Walk away from your responsibilities and live the rest of your life without a purpose until your very last breath?" Lucem doesn't want to get angry at the young guardian. He  _knows_  Sephyrus is suffering, and he  _wants_  to understand, if only Sephyrus would stop being difficult. "We waited for this, Sephyrus. We waited 200 years. We can't give up."

"I didn't give up.  _She_  gave us up."

"What must happen for you to let it go?"

Sephyrus glares at him, but it is more hurt than anger. Lucem regrets it, but it has been said and he can't take it back. "Let it go? How can I, Lucem?" He doesn't answer, so Sephyrus turns away towards the Sky Canal. "I see them all the time," he says. "Yeul. Rygdea. Baekhyun. And..." He leaves the last name out, and Lucem knows why.

"Sephyrus..."

"I keep thinking about them still. They're gone because of  _her_! Because she was weak!" Sephyrus punches the gates and rests his fists against the cold metal. He breathes hard, like he's on the verge of tears. "I will not let it go, Lucem. I won't."

Lucem doesn't know what to say. He says nothing, because saying will not change anything. It will not make things right.

The metal uncurls and returns to its original form. Sephyrus backs away from the gates and looks at him, his eyes red. Lucem hands him his gunblade.

"I know you're hurt, Sephyrus, but if you think none of us are too, think again," he says softly. "You're not the only one who has lost something, someone. So have we. We're staying because we want to make our sacrifices mean something. Don't you?"

Sephyrus stares at him, contemplating his words. He takes his weapon from Lucem and holsters it, but says nothing. In the silence that persists, he steps through the Sky Canal gates and enters the approaching carriage without looking back a second time.

Lucem watches as the carriage takes Sephyrus away, but he doesn't worry. Somehow, he trusts that he has gotten through to him.

Sephyrus is heading to the garrison ruins, but he will come back.

 


	17. 2 | Seventeen

\---

Lucem dismisses the other guardians when he returns to the Protectors' Hall. There is no point in continuing the meeting while Sephyrus is off somewhere to cool off. Goodnights and goodbyes are exchanged, and the guardians go on their own way. Chanjyushir volunteers to escort the sorceress back to her residence, so Lucem apologizes to her once more for the disruption, and sends them away.

He stands at the stairs until their shadows are out of view, then he too, leaves. He doesn't know where he is heading to, he doesn't have a destination in mind. He just wants to walk. Perhaps walking will clear his thoughts.

But his journey would have to end  _somewhere_. His steps falter and come to a halt in front of an entrance that is all too familiar. The Collegium Arcane. Glyphs above the doors glow under bluish hues. Lucem stares at the gold-plated handles, and the doors creak open just a slight, as though deciding for him that he should step inside.

He sees no harm in that, even though his heart feels heavy for reasons he doesn't wish to remember, and his bones seem to crack like twigs with each step he takes. He goes ahead anyway, slipping between the doors and leaving them open behind him.

The collegium looks exactly like the last time Lucem was here. That was over 200 years ago, when he and his comrades would train their abilities with the grandmasters. It feels like just yesterday, the memories fresh in his mind. He remembers the time Chanjyushir accidentally melting Xiumin's ice sculpture whilst setting things on fire, Yeul dousing Chanjyushir's flames, and Lay getting annoyed because their little bicker caused him to lose concentration. A small chuckle rises in his throat before he swallows it down.

Lucem raises his gaze to the windows scaling the roof. One panel stands out among the others like it doesn't belong, and he knows why. He is the only one who would know why.

There isn't a single moment where he doesn't wish he can return to the past and do things a little differently than he did, but the painful truth is that he can't. Nobody can, not even the most powerful Timebender.

He closes his eyes. As he ponders on events of the past, he allows himself to get completely lost in his thoughts. His guard is down, and he doesn't notice the pair of eyes watching him through the space between the doors. If this were a battlefield, he would surely be downed and at the mercy of his opponent, if he isn't already dead.

"Lucem?"

It isn't an enemy. He turns and his eyes open to greet the owner of the voice.

"Your highness." He bows. "I thought you would be back in your chamber by now. Did Chanjyushir not fulfil his task?"

"I told him I'd like to explore a little. On my own," she replies. "I hope that's okay."

"Of course. You should be safe, as long as you are within the walls of the Sanctum."

The sorceress smiles. She looks around, at the shelves of ancient scriptures, the racks of alchemy equipment, and the work stations where glowing crystals are kept in glass jars. Her gaze lands on the statue of Goddess Lumiel. "What is this place?"

"The Collegium Arcane. This is where we study Aetheric arts, or magic." He gestures to the statue. "That's Goddess Lumiel. Even in the early days of Exotreia's existence, she understood the nature and essence of Aether better than anyone else. She took us under her wings and passed her wisdom unto us. You will find that the Temple of Knowledge is painted in her favourite colours. Have you had the chance to visit there, your highness?"

Sorceress Atelier shakes her head. "No, but I hope to. I'd love to learn more about your world."

"You will, your highness. This is your world too," he reminds her. "The two worlds of Tierra Gloriosa are yours to watch over."

"I still can't believe this, you know?" She takes a seat on a bench, still looking around curiously. "A week ago I was back home, worried about where my life is heading to, wondering about my purpose. Today, I'm here." She inhales and pauses. "And I still have no idea what I'm doing."

Lucem has to smile at that. "This is all new to you, but you will learn in time. We are here to guide you. Know that we are all very glad for your return, your highness."

"Really?" It takes him by surprise. She sighs and slumps her shoulders. "Sephyrus doesn't like me, does he?"

"What makes you say that, your highness?"

She angles her brow in response to that. "You mean, beside the fact that he made it painfully obvious?"

Lucem shakes his head. His disappointment in his comrade is evident, but he had half expected him to behave like that, so it wasn't really a surprise to him. "Sephyrus' behaviour was disrespectful and discourteous, but please do forgive him, your highness."

"I'm not angry at him," she says. She nods to the empty space next to her and smiles. "Please sit with me so I don't feel awkward."

Obediently, Lucem joins her on the bench. They aren't sitting too close together, but he feels a surge of warmth and familiarity all the same, which he doesn't know if he should be worried about, or grateful for. One thing he  _is_  sure of is that he has quite missed it – the gentle, endearing feeling he never dared think he'd experience again.

She regards him with a puzzled look. "What are you looking at?"

He hasn't realized that he is staring. He steers his gaze away and smiles sadly at nothing in particular. "Pardon me, your highness. You do look so much like her."

The sorceress heaves a soft but audible sigh. "Is that why Sephyrus hates me? Because I remind him of Athena?"

Athena – yes. Athena. Sorceress Atelier looks like  _Athena_. Lucem dismisses a piece of memory from his mind and nods.

"Why? What did she do?"

"She –" He pauses, biting his tongue before he can spill the words piling up in his throat;  _ran away, abandoned her responsibilities, left her people to suffer_  – there is no reason to say such things about Sorceress Athena in front of the new sorceress and future queen, even though they carry truth. No, there must be a better way to deliver it.

"Sorceress Athena went missing shortly before The Great Cataclysm. In her absence, we are weak, and the war grew beyond control, until it was too late to turn things around," he explains. "We lost our world to the shadows, and Sephyrus... he lost someone dear to him, someone he held really close to his heart."

"Oh." Understanding and sympathy ripple through her voice, and her blame towards the guardian, if any at all, dissolves immediately. "That must have been devastating."

It was, and Sephyrus is not over it. Lucem understands how he feels, but he wishes Sephyrus will stop misdirecting her blame on Sorceress Atelier, because she has nothing to do with his loss, however else he wants to think.

"Sephyrus doesn't think before he speaks. May I ask that you forgive him for his insolence?"

"I'm not mad at him, I'm just curious about what happened in the past."

"Well, it's not all bad, not all the time," Lucem says. He smiles when he thinks about the better days, but it fades quickly. "People tend to forget the good when they remember the bad." 

Or they don't remember at all. The guardians woke up from crystal stasis with incomplete memories. Time has slowly allowed them to remember enough, but not all.

The only exception is Lucem. He remembers everything. A Mindbender never forgets, though sometimes he wishes he can. To bear the burden of remembering, all alone – he isn't sure how long he will last.

"Do you miss home?"

He turns to her. Has she read his mind? Perhaps she caught a hint of emotion that he has failed to conceal. That isn't good. He can't let any more show. "Valhalla. That's my home," he says, avoiding the question. Home sounds so foreign now. Home is in the past, and the past is a land no one can visit.

"I miss my home," the sorceress whispers. She fidgets with her necklace.

Lucem is about to offer consolation when he catches a glimpse of the pendant and gasps. "The charm, your highness – where did you get it?"

She looks curious. "It's a present from my sister. She told me her teacher gave it to her."

"I'm sorry, but may I take a closer look?"

The sorceress unclips the pendant from its chain and hands it to him. It is shaped like the symbol of Light in Exotreia. It will not be surprising if Terrans refer to the element the same way, but something else stands out and tells Lucem it isn't as simple as that. The white gem, shimmering bright even in the faintest glow and reflecting colours on all its facets, is something else indeed. It is unmistakably an Elatrite.

Elatrite is a noble gem; signifying longevity and divinity. It is as scarce as it is beautiful, found only in Exotreia. This, Lucem is sure of, because Elatrite is an Aetheric gem. The lack of Aether on Terra would have made it impossible for Elatrite to grow.

And the placement of the gem on the pendant – Elatrite at the centre of a light symbol.  _Divinity in light_ ; the Elpida! It is a sacred symbol to the Gods. How can anyone on Terra get hold of this?

Something doesn't feel quite right. Lucem doesn't like this.

"Does it mean something to you?" the sorceress asks.

He hesitates. This isn't something he can explain easily. He can't explain it at all. "No," he says. He will wait until he knows more about it before alarming her highness. He returns the pendant to her. "It's very beautiful."

"Thank you."

"It's getting quite late." He stands and gestures to the door. "Shall I accompany you on your way back to your chamber, your highness?"

They walk side by side, in silence, and Lucem realizes that his visit to the Collegium has done little to clear his mind. If anything, he now has more to think about.

"Lucem." They are at the door to her chamber when the sorceress says her first word since leaving the Collegium. She looks worried about something.

"Yes, your highness?"

"I just want to say that... you can always talk to me if you need someone to listen."

It takes him a while to digest her words, because he never really thinks to bother her with his personal problems, and also because he always believes he does a good job keeping them to himself. But apparently not. He wonders how she knows.

Then he notices her stealing a fleeting glance at his neck, or rather, the chain he wears around his neck. He freezes, his mind racing to remember when and how it became exposed. Swiftly, he tucks it under his coat again. The cold of the metal band presses against his warm skin, sending a chill down his spine.

"Sorry," she mutters, barely audible under the noise of her shoe scraping against the floor. "I don't mean to intrude."

"It's alright, your highness," he says. "You didn't." 

He can tell from her eyes that she still wishes to know, and he almost told her. Almost.

"Thank you for your concern," he says instead. "But there is no need for you to worry." 

_No_ , saying more may push them both into a place they can't get back from. He will keep it to himself, where it belongs; in the empty tin in his chest where a red heart used to be, its lid rusted shut.

"Some things are best kept in the past."

 


End file.
